By Femi Bolaji

Taraba State House of Assembly has amended the State Kidnapping and Abduction Prohibition Law 2010, with a new section prescribing death penalty to persons found guilty of kidnapping.

The Taraba State Kidnapping and Abduction Prohibition (Amendment) Bill 2019, sponsored by the Speaker of the House, Peter Diah, has passed legislative processes and now waiting for the governor’s assent.

Section 3 of the former act was substituted with a new provision, which spelt out that those who attempt to kidnap would be liable to life imprisonment.

The new section reads: “Any person(s) who kidnap(s) or abduct(s) or by other means of instilling fear or tricks, take(s) another person(s) with intent to demand ransom or compel another person(s) to do anything against his will, commit(s) an offence and shall on conviction: where the life of the person kidnapped, abducted or seized is either lost or not in the process, be sentenced to death; and forfeit all property and proceeds traceable to him to the state government.”

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Other amendments are that those who attempt to kidnap or abduct a person, “shall on conviction be sentenced to life imprisonment.”

In addition, “any person(s) who threaten(s) to kill, maim, or injure or cause panic in order to compel another person or corporate body, governmental organisation to do, or refrain from doing any act, commit(s) an offence and is liable on conviction to 20 years imprisonment without an option of fine.”

According to the proceedings of the plenary, Charles Maijankai, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Karim 1 Constituency, moved the motion, while Bashir Mohammed, All Progressives Congress, APC, Nguroje, seconded the motion.