Abuja, Nigeria – In a significant legislative push to combat Nigeria’s escalating kidnapping crisis, the Senate on Wednesday unanimously passed for a second reading a bill aimed at classifying kidnapping, hostage-taking, and related offenses as acts of terrorism. The proposed legislation, co-sponsored by an unprecedented 108 senators, seeks to introduce the death penalty without the option of fine or alternative sentence for such crimes.
Sponsored by Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, the bill, titled “A bill for an Act to Amend the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act to Designate Kidnapping, Hostage-Taking and Related Offences as Acts of Terrorism…To Prescribe Death Penalty for Such Offences Without Option of Fine or Alternative Sentence; And For Related Matters, 2025,” reflects the lawmakers’ growing frustration and determination to curb the pervasive threat.
Leading the debate, Senator Bamidele underscored the gravity of the prescribed penalty, asserting that kidnapping has transformed into “one of the most pervasive and destructive crimes in the country today.” He highlighted the evolution of the crime from isolated incidents to “coordinated, commercialised and militarised acts of violence perpetrated by organised criminal groups.”
“Across every region of our country, kidnapping has instilled widespread fear in communities; undermined national economic activities and agricultural output; interrupted children’s education, bankrupted families forced to pay ransom; overstretched our security forces and claimed countless innocent lives,” Bamidele stated. He argued that the “patterns of organisation, brutality and destabilisation associated with kidnapping now carry all the characteristics of terrorism,” necessitating a legal framework that reflects the “true magnitude of the threat.”
He further explained that classifying these offenses as acts of terrorism would empower security agencies with enhanced operational authority and intelligence capabilities, crucial in dismantling the sophisticated networks behind these crimes.
Senators across party lines voiced strong support for the bill. Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (APC-Abia) emphasized the suffering endured by Nigerians at the hands of kidnappers, citing instances of rape and unwarranted loss of life. “Informants, sponsors and everybody involved in kidnapping, hostage-takers and other related offences must face the consequence,” Kalu declared, asserting that the continuous suffering of Nigerians “must not continue again.”
Senator Victor Umeh (LP-Anambra) passionately condemned the ruthless nature of kidnappers who often kill their victims even after collecting ransom. He called for a concerted effort to amend the Terrorism Act and urged investigations into those who facilitate these criminal enterprises, including potentially “financial institutions.”
Senate President Godswill Akpabio echoed the urgency, stating that the bill required little debate and should be fast-tracked. He called on senators to demonstrate “resoluteness and seriousness” in tackling the nation’s security challenges. “By the time we pass the bill, it will override whatever is done in the states. We have to protect the future of Nigerians,” Akpabio affirmed.
The bill has been referred to the Senate Committees on Judiciary, National Security and Intelligence, and Interior for further legislative actions, with a directive to report back within two weeks. The swift progression of this bill signals a resolute commitment from the Nigerian Senate to implement stringent measures against a crime that continues to destabilize the nation.
