BEVERLY HILLS, January 06, (THEWILL) – The Lagos State House of Assembly has passed the Anti-kidnapping Bill, which prescribes death penalty for offenders, into law.
The bill prescribes death sentence for kidnappers whose victims died in their custody but kidnappers whose victims did not die in their custody will get life jail.
The bill was passed following the adoption of a report presented by Chairman of the House Committee on Judiciary, Petitions, Human Rights and Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) Mrs Adefunmilayo Tejuosho.
“Any person, who kidnaps, abducts, detains, captures or takes another person by any means or tricks with intent to demand ransom or do anything against his/her will, commits an offence, and liable on conviction to death sentence,” the bill states.
The bill also criminalises attempt to kidnap and stipulates life imprisonment for anyone who attempts to kidnap another person and stipulates seven years imprisonment for false representation to release a kidnapped or abducted person.
The lawmakers also approved 25 years imprisonment for whoever threatens to kidnap another person through phone call, e-mail, text message or any other means of communication.
The bill also provides that any person, who knowingly or wilfully allows or permits his premises, building or a place to which he has control of to be used for the purposes of keeping a person kidnapped, is guilty of an offence under the law and liable to 14 years imprisonment without an option of fine.
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