By Emeka Alex Duru
The Senate, in unusual rare courageous outing, has prescribed death penalty for anyone convicted of kidnapping or other acts classified as terrorism. This is going by the Bill before it which seeks to amend the 2022 Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act by designating kidnapping and related offences as acts of terrorism and prescribing the death penalty for those found guilty, including financiers and informants. Under the proposal, once a court establishes a kidnapping conviction, the maximum penalty must be applied. This is a significant move that deserves commendation, if the lawmakers can follow it through.
The proposal comes on the heels of directives by President Bola Tinubu on the newly appointed service chiefs to intensify efforts to defeat terrorism, banditry, and other criminal activities across the country. The President tasked the new military chiefs to dismantle the activities of emerging armed groups that have regrouped in some parts of the country. He said: “Security threats are constantly evolving and mutating. Of grave concern to our administration is the recent emergence of new armed groups in the North-Central, North-West, and parts of the South. We must not allow these new threats to fester. We must be decisive and proactive. Let us smash the new snakes right at the head.”
The Bill by the senate is a step in the right direction, especially coming at a time Nigeria is challenged by insecurity in many parts of the country. Undoubtedly, kidnapping and terrorism constitute the greatest danger to Nigeria and its economy, affecting its foreign direct investment (FDI) profile negatively. In addition to terrorism, there are other incidences of criminality that are holding the country down. For instance, banditry has remained on the rise in the North west, Boko Haram still poses serious threats in the North east, while kidnapping and other criminal activities persist in the North-central and southern regions. This is not a situation that can encourage or guarantee investment and development.
Recent reports of attacks in Borno and Katsina states, in which many people were killed, are clear indications that Nigeria is at war at many fronts. In Borno, at least 40 farmers were killed. In obvious exasperation, the State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum and State Information Commissioner Usman Tar, accused fighters from the Boko Haram group and ISIL (ISIS) affiliate in West Africa Province (ISWAP) of carrying out the attack. Within the same period, 21 persons were killed and several others declared missing after suspected bandits invaded Baure village in Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State. Elsewhere, the emergence of Lakurawa, a new terror group, has compounded the state of insecurity in Sokoto, the North West and other parts of the country. The Defence Headquarters (DHQ), in confirming the existence of the group, stated that it infiltrated from the Republic of Niger after the coup in the country. In the South East, lawless non-state actors and criminal elements hiding under the banner of agitation for the independence of the region, have been on loose, attacking and kidnapping residents as well as destroying properties.
The North Central is not spared of the uncertainties. The June 20, 2025 attacks on and killing of wedding travellers at Mangun community in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau by suspected terrorists, added another dimension to the cycle of violence that has rocked the State in recent times. The victims, comprising 32 men, women and children, were travelling in an 18-seater bus belonging to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, from Basawa community in Zaria, Kaduna State, to Qua’an Pan LGA of Plateau when they were attacked. Two months earlier, over 51 people were killed and dozens injured in Bassa Local Government Area of the Sate. The worst hit areas were Zike community, Kimakpa, in the Kwall district of the council. The June 20 Plateau killing came barely a week after the Friday, June 13 deadly attacks at Yelewata in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, in which staggering figures ranging from 100 to over 200 deaths, comprising mainly women and children were posted.
Elsewhere, in just one week in November, a Brigadier General, Musa Uba, was ambushed by terrorists and murdered in the most gruesome manner. Four Nigerian soldiers were also cut down in their prime. In the same week, terrorists and bandits easily kidnapped 25 school girls in Kebbi State. The hoodlums killed the Vice-Principal of the school for daring to protect the students.
The Kebbi incident took place barely two days after at least 16 vigilante members were killed and 42 residents kidnapped in separate attacks by bandits in the Mashegu Local Government Area of Niger State. Within the same time, armed gangs attacked Fegin Baza village in the Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State, killing three persons and abducting at least, 64 others. In another incident, criminals launched assault on Tsohuwar Tasha village in the Ruwan Doruwa Ward of Maru Local Government, also in Zamfara, abducting 14 people, including 11 women and three children.
In same manner, armed men reportedly abducted several passengers along the Ogobia–Adoka Road in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State. Altogether, more than145 Nigerians were kidnapped in Kebbi, Niger and Zamfara states within four days. At the same period, gunmen killed some worshippers and abducted several others, including a pastor, during an attack on the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) in Eruku, Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State. Though some of the hostages were later released, presumably after payment of ransom, the psychological impact of the attacks on Nigerians is enormous and discomforting.
The assault on Nigerians by terrorists and kidnappers have been persistent and consistent. Each time it occurs, the government and security agents are caught napping. According to a report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), no fewer than 614,937 Nigerians were killed and 2,235,954 others kidnapped across the country between May 2023 and April 2024. The NBS made the disclosure in its report titled ‘The Crime Experienced and Security Perception Survey (CESPS) 2024’, which captured surveys conducted between May 2023 and April 2024. The report revealed that the 2.2 million Nigerians were kidnapped across the country while N2.2 trillion was paid as ransom, an average amount of N2.7 million per incident. A zone-by-zone analysis of the report showed that the North West had the highest murder cases (206,030), followed by the North East (188,992); while the least was recorded in the South West (15,693).
Related report by SBM Intelligence, an Africa-focused market/security intel gathering consulting firm, indicated that Nigerians paid N1.048 billion as ransom to kidnappers between July 2023 and June 2024. It added that 7,568 people were kidnapped across the country within the period. The statistics must have gone up further, ever since.
The immediate result of the rising menace of kidnapping and terrorism, apart from loss of life, is drastic drop in economy and investment. The move by the Senate is thus timely and a welcome development. Desperate situation requires desperate measures. Though death penalty is no longer in vogue in many countries, the psychological effects and cost implications of kidnapping and terrorism on Nigerians, require stringent measures that will act as deterrence to those involved in the crime and their sponsors. A very severe sentence is what should go for kidnappers and terrorists. Same punishment should be extended to their sponsors and enablers. There should not be kid glove treatment to the suspects. Let the National Assembly work in liaison with the Presidency to fashion out appropriate sentence for the twin deadly crimes.
DURU is the Editor, TheNiche Online Newspapers, Lagos (08054103327, nwaukpala@yahoo.com)