Senate Declares Kidnapping, Banditry As Terrorism, Approves Death Penalty
The Nigerian Senate on Tuesday adopted sweeping security resolutions, officially designating kidnapping and banditry as acts of terrorism and approving the maximum death penalty for all kidnapping-related offences.
The resolutions followed an intense debate during plenary, presided over by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, after a motion of urgent national importance raised by Senator Ashiru Oyelola Yisa (Kwara South) and further amended by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele.
In one of its strongest security positions in recent years, the Senate ruled that henceforth, “all laws relating to kidnapping should be classified as terrorism and should have a maximum death penalty, and no judge should overturn or reduce the sentence without any option of fine.”
To implement the decision, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele was directed to introduce a formal amendment bill “in the shortest possible time.”
Beyond the legal reclassification, lawmakers approved the creation of a new Joint Task Force (JTF) to strengthen security across the Kwara–Kogi corridor, with Forward Operating Bases to be established in Eruku, Babanla, Oke-Ero, Isanlu and Wasagu in Kebbi State.
The Senate further urged the Federal Government to reinforce local vigilante groups and review Nigeria’s firearm laws to reflect practices in “over 175 countries where responsible citizens are permitted to own guns.”
A major highlight of the resolutions was the directive for a full investigation into the withdrawal of troops from a school in Kebbi State hours before a bandit attack.
All Senate security committees were mandated to investigate the withdrawal of military personnel from the Kebbi school prior to the attack, probe the circular relating to the killing of Brigadier-General M. Uba in Maiduguri and report back to the chamber within two weeks.
The resolutions underscore the Senate’s escalating alarm over the surge in kidnappings, school raids and bandit attacks across the country.
Naija News House had reported that panic and tears swept through Eruku town in the Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State when terrorists stormed a branch of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), killing three worshippers and abducting several others, including the pastor.
Sources said that the attackers invaded the church during a meeting and immediately opened fire, sending worshippers running for cover.
Earlier this month, there were also mass abductions in Kebbi and Niger states.
