Delta lawmakers may okay death sentence for kidnappers, others

IF a bill currently being debated in the Delta State House of Assembly sails through, kidnappers, cult members and terrorists in the state may face death sentence and also having their assets confiscated.

In fact, the bill which was signed by all the 28 members, has passed the first and second reading of the House and is presently at the Peace and Security Committee stage headed by Mr. Benjamin Okiemutie.

Worried by the menace of cult members and kidnappers, the legislators had passed a bill which stipulated death penalty for offenders but was vetoed by Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan on the grounds that as a medical doctor, he is supposed to save and not take life.

At Wednesday’s sitting of the Committee of the House and presided by Speaker Victor Ochei, the lawmakers resolved among others to depose any traditional ruler who knowingly gives refuge to the bandits.

Also, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Charles Ajuya (SAN) reiterated the government opposition to the new bill.

Ajuya defended the state government’s opposition on the death penalty, saying that a long term jail sentence for the criminals was a better alternative.

The Attorney General said that experience had shown that death penalty for armed robbery had not in any way slowed down the activities of hoodlums, adding that so many people had been killed since the promulgation of the death sentence.

Ajuya said: “I want a long prison term instead of death for kidnap cases because the trend all over the world is to abolish the death penalty. Death penalty is not the solution to armed robberies and kidnappings. In Nigeria, the penalty for armed robbery as at today is death yet there are more cases of robberies than kidnapping which does not carry the death penalty. That tells you that long term prison term that will make kidnappers rot in prison is best.”