The Nigerian Senate has passed a resolution to reclassify kidnapping as an act of terrorism, with lawmakers demanding amendments to the Terrorism Act that would impose capital punishment on convicted kidnappers.
During Wednesday’s plenary session, senators unanimously agreed that once the legal framework is updated, anyone found guilty of kidnapping should automatically receive the death sentence.
In a statement outlining its position, the Senate said: “The resolution mandates that, upon conviction for kidnapping, the death penalty must be enforced.”
Legislators argued that placing kidnapping under terrorism legislation would eliminate legal uncertainties in prosecuting offenders and ensure harsher penalties once the amendments take effect.
The Senate’s decision comes against a backdrop of surging abduction cases and killings nationwide, with mounting public pressure for more robust legal measures to combat the menace.
Recent incidents have highlighted the severity of the crisis. In Kwara State, bandits kidnapped 38 worshippers in Eruku, located in Ekiti Local Government Area. Shortly after, at least 10 more residents were abducted on Monday evening from Isapa, a nearby community within the same local council.
Kebbi State witnessed the abduction of 24 female students from Government Girls Secondary School in Maga, while Niger State recorded the kidnapping of over 200 students in a separate incident.
The wave of abductions has intensified calls from citizens and civil society groups for decisive government action to address the security emergency gripping various parts of the country.
By reclassifying kidnapping under terrorism laws, the Senate aims to provide security agencies and the judiciary with stronger legal instruments to prosecute and deter perpetrators of mass abductions that have become increasingly common across Nigeria.
