Insecurity: Kano mulls life imprisonment for kidnappers

A bill to provide life imprisonment as punishment for kidnappers in Kano has scaled the second reading at the state House of Assembly.

Maifada Bello, deputy majority leader, read the kidnapping, abduction and forced labour amendment bill before the assembly, on Monday.

According to Bello, member representing Kibiya constituency, the immediate amendment of the bill was necessary to check the crime and punish those involved in it appropriately.

“The law that provides punishment for the kidnappers has been in existence since 1963; therefore, it should be amended to go with the current rampant kidnapping and abduction cases in the state.

“It can also assist the judges to judge anyone found guilty of such offence according to their offence, because the current law that provides 10 years imprisonment made it difficult for the judges to judge such criminals,” Bello said.

He said the case of kidnapping needed to be handled in such a way that the criminals would rather surrender by themselves, adding that the House should do everything possible to ensure severe punishment for kidnappers.

Bello noted that cases of kidnapping in Kano have become widespread, to the extent that both the rural areas and urban centres are now vulnerable.