Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has signed into law a stringent new anti-kidnapping bill that mandates the death penalty for convicted kidnappers, marking one of Nigeria’s toughest measures against the rampant crime. The governor announced the decisive action during a security council meeting at the Government House in Akure, citing the need for “extreme measures to combat extreme crimes.”
The revised penal code applies to all kidnapping convictions where victims suffer harm, with life imprisonment prescribed for cases where captives are released unharmed. Security analysts confirm the law includes provisions holding accomplices equally liable—including those who pay ransoms or knowingly harbor kidnappers.
This development follows Ondo’s alarming 47% increase in abduction cases this year, particularly along forested border areas with neighboring states. Governor Aiyedatiwa revealed coordinated plans with Amotekun security forces to establish armed forest ranger units and drone surveillance systems along identified kidnapping routes.
Human rights organizations including Amnesty International have condemned the capital punishment provision, while victims’ families and the state’s traditional rulers council have overwhelmingly supported the measure. Legal experts note at least 23 states across Nigeria have enacted similar laws since 2021, though enforcement remains inconsistent.
The governor simultaneously approved a N500 million reward fund for information leading to kidnappers’ arrests and pledged to equip all 18 local government areas with emergency security hotlines.
