Lawyers advocate capital punishment for kidnapping

chika ebuzor

July 16, 2016 7:07 AM

The lawyers decried the increasing cases of kidnapping cases in the country, saying that death sentence would serve as a deterrent to those who want to venture into the crime

Kidnapping

Some Abuja-based lawyers have called on the Federal Government to enact a law making kidnapping a capital offence punishable with death.

They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interviews that the law when enacted should be domesticated by the states and local governments.

Mr Maxwell Akoh-Onoja, a lawyer, advocated an amendment to the law as it relates to kidnapping.

"The current law should be amended, kidnapping is too rampant in the country now and there should be stiffer punishment for the crime.

"The judiciary cannot act outside what is in the law book," Akoh-Onoja said.

Akoh-Onoja expressed regrets that many convictions had not been secured in kidnap cases, and called on judges to ensure that such cases were heard expeditiously in their court.

According to him, kidnapping is one of the signs of a failed state.

Another lawyer, Mr Joe Okete, said that it was the inability of government to put some things in place that caused the issue of kidnapping.

Okete outlined unemployment and the breakdown of moral instructions as some of the major causes of kidnapping.

"The only way the judiciary can come in to curb kidnapping is by implementing the law.

"There should also be stringent legislation against possession of firearms by the general public.

"Criminals like kidnappers should be given long term jail against capital punishment if possible,’’ he said.

Okete called on the government to enact a legislation that would empower the educational system in the area of entrepreneur to give loan to deserving graduate.

According to Okete, if the education system is empowered in the area of entrepreneurship with loans, it will reduce the rate of crime.

Also, Mr Boniface Udeh, supported death penalty for any person who found guilty of kidnapping.

Udeh also advocated for family value, saying that parents should teach their wards well with the moral laws of the land.

He called on the government to create employment opportunities for the youths to dissuade them from being targets for recruitment by kidnappers.

chika ebuzor