Senate passes anti-kidnapping bill classifying offences as terrorism, endorsing death penalty for perpetrators and accomplices nationwide
The Nigerian Senate has passed a landmark anti-kidnapping bill into second reading, aimed at curbing the escalating wave of abductions, hostage-taking, and related crimes across the federation.
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The move follows a series of high-profile kidnappings, including incidents in Maga, Kebbi State; Papiri, Niger State; and Eruku, Kwara State, which collectively involved over 300 victims, including approximately 250 schoolgirls.
Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, who sponsored the bill, emphasised that the legislation seeks to classify kidnapping and hostage-taking as acts of terrorism.
“This empowers our security agencies with broader operational authority, intelligence capabilities, and prosecutorial tools available under counter-terrorism law,” he said.
Bamidele further noted that the bill recommends the death penalty not only for perpetrators but also for financiers, informants, logistics providers, and anyone knowingly assisting such crimes.
“The essence is deterrence and enabling law enforcement to dismantle kidnapping networks at the scale the country currently demands,” he added.
The legislation comes amid heightened Senate activity, including the dissolution of committees on Air Force and National Security and Intelligence due to oversight inefficiency.
Committees on Army, Navy, Defence, Interior, and Police Affairs were instructed to submit progress reports within two weeks to justify their continued operation.
President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, described the measures as part of a comprehensive strategy to restore peace, order, and stability nationwide.
The Senate also fast-tracked the screening of President Bola Tinubu’s Minister of Defence nominee, General Christopher Musa, citing the urgency of reinforcing national security.
Debates on the bill highlighted concerns over the federal government’s deradicalisation programme, with senators arguing it had failed to prevent extremists and terrorists from reoffending.
Senator Adams Oshiomhole and Senator Orji Uzor Kalu stressed that maximum legal sanctions, including capital punishment, were necessary to address the grievous impact of kidnapping on victims, families, and the economy.
Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro, praised the bill for reflecting unanimous support across political divides and urged swift progression to public consultation and wider hearings.
The Senate referred the bill to the Committees on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Interior, and National Security and Intelligence for consultation and reporting within two weeks.
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The Senate’s decisive action signals a strengthened commitment to tackling kidnappers and associated criminal networks with more consequential legal measures, marking a new chapter in Nigeria’s fight against terror and insecurity.
