New Legislation Alert: Senate Declares Kidnapping and Banditry Terrorism, Introduces De@th Penalty for Offenders

To carry out the decision, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele was instructed to present a formal amendment bill "as soon as possible." The Nigerian Senate on Tuesday passed extensive security resolutions, officially labeling kidnapping and banditry as acts of terrorism and endorsing the maximum death penalty for all crimes related to kidnapping. These resolutions came after a vigorous debate during a session led by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, following a motion of urgent national importance introduced by Senator Ashiru Oyelola Yisa (Kwara South) and further modified by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele. In one of its most robust security stances in recent years, the Senate declared that from now on, "all laws concerning kidnapping should be categorized as terrorism and should carry a maximum death penalty, with no judge allowed to overturn or lessen the sentence without an option for a fine." To carry out the decision, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele was instructed to present a formal amendment bill "as soon as possible." In addition to the legal reclassification, lawmakers approved the establishment of a new Joint Task Force (JTF) to enhance security along the Kwara–Kogi corridor, with Forward Operating Bases to be set up in Eruku, Babanla, Oke-Ero, Isanlu, and Wasagu in Kebbi State.

The Senate also urged the Federal Government to strengthen local vigilante groups and reassess Nigeria’s firearm laws to align with practices in "over 175 countries where responsible citizens are allowed to own guns." A key point of the resolutions was the call for a thorough investigation into the withdrawal of troops from a school in Kebbi State just hours before a bandit attack. All Senate security committees were tasked with investigating the withdrawal of military personnel from the Kebbi school before the attack, examining the circular related to the k!lling of Brigadier-General M. Uba in Maiduguri, and reporting back to the chamber within two weeks.

The resolutions highlight the Senate’s growing concern about the increase in kidnappings, school raids, and bandit attacks nationwide. Earlier this month, there were also large-scale abductions in Kebbi and Niger states. Photo Credit: President Tinubu official's Instagram page