Lagos Lawmakers Approve Death Sentence for Kidnappers

Lagos Lawmakers Approve Death Sentence for Kidnappers

The Lagos State House of Assembly on Thursday passed a bill that approves the death penalty for kidnappers convicted in the state.

The bill, Law to Provide for the Prohibition of the Act of Kidnapping and other Connected Purposes, was passed by lawmakers after the third reading without any alteration.

Chairman Committee on Judiciary, Funmilayo Tejuosho explained that the bill was to further expand the scope of the existing kidnap law to accommodate new challenges and ultimately curb the menace.

According to the Punch newspaper, the bill, which was sponsored by the Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, prescribed the death penalty for kidnappers whose victims died in their custody and life sentence for kidnappers whose victims were released alive.

The bill also prescribed life imprisonment for attempted kidnapping.

The bill states that any person who kidnaps, abducts, detains, captures or takes another person by any means or trick, with intent to demand ransom or do anything  against the victim’s will, commits an offence

The bill was passed by a voice vote after the Speaker read out sections of the bill to other lawmakers.

The acting Clerk of the House, Mr. Azeez Sanni, was directed to forward a clean copy of the bill to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for assent.