‘Kidnappers Will Face Death Sentence’: Akpabio Declares

• Senate President Godswill Akpabio has thrown his weight behind the death penalty for kidnappers, saying capital punishment remains a necessary deterrent as the National Assembly moves to strengthen laws against kidnapping and terrorism.

President of the Nigerian Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has declared his support for the death penalty for kidnappers, insisting that capital punishment is necessary to deter the growing wave of violent crimes across the country.

Akpabio made the statement on Thursday while speaking at the 14th National Caucus meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) held at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja.

The Senate President also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he described as decisive leadership in addressing insecurity, particularly the recent rescue of abducted children. He pledged the National Assembly’s full backing for tougher legislation aimed at curbing kidnapping and terrorism.

According to Akpabio, the National Assembly has already taken concrete legislative steps to strengthen deterrence, revealing that kidnapping has now been placed on the same legal footing as terrorism.

“Kidnappers will face the death sentence once the President assents to the bill,” he said.

He warned that failure to impose and enforce capital punishment could embolden criminals, leading to increased jailbreaks, loss of lives and further insecurity.

Akpabio also hailed the Federal Government’s recent security operations, noting that the rescue of abducted victims reflected a renewed commitment to protecting lives and property. He offered prayers for the safe return of remaining victims and expressed condolences to families of soldiers and civilians who lost their lives during the rescue missions.

“We condole with families who have lost loved ones, including members of the armed forces who died protecting lives and property. We will stand with their families in this moment of grief,” he said.

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The Senate President further linked Nigeria’s internal security to stability in neighbouring countries, praising President Tinubu’s diplomatic engagement with the Benin Republic to safeguard democratic order in the region.

“If our neighbours are not stable, Nigeria cannot be stable,” Akpabio said, adding that the Senate fully supports the President’s regional security and diplomatic initiatives.

In recent months, Nigeria has witnessed a surge in insecurity, with bandits and terrorists carrying out deadly attacks and mass abductions across several communities, prompting the Federal Government to intensify security measures nationwide.