The Senate on Wednesday declared kidnapping a form of terrorism and recommending the death penalty for offenders, without the option of fines or judicial discretion to reduce sentences.
The resolution followed hours of tense debate triggered by the November 18 attack on Christ Apostolic Church, Eruku, in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, where gunmen killed two worshippers and abducted 38 others.
Although all victims were later rescued in joint operations involving the army, police, DSS agents, and local vigilantes, lawmakers said the incident exposed the alarming southward drift of insurgent cells and the collapse of security in rural communities.
The decisions stemmed from a motion by Senator Yisa Ashiru (Kwara South) titled “Urgent Need to Address Escalating Insecurity in Kwara, Kebbi, and Niger States and Strengthen National Security Frameworks.”
Senators noted that the frequency of school abductions had forced the shutdown of all schools in local governments across Kebbi and Niger states, five LGAs in Kwara, and all 47 Federal Unity Colleges nationwide.
Senator Issa Jibrin (Kogi East) decried the country’s critical manpower deficit in security services, warning that Nigeria’s entire military, police, and paramilitary personnel “do not total one million,” compared to Egypt’s 1.5 million.
Other senators raised concerns that banditry was creeping closer to Osun through Ekiti-linked communities around Eruku–Isapa–Koro — areas where a retired Army General and a traditional ruler were recently killed.
Senators resolved that kidnapping had evolved into full-fledged terrorism and must attract the severest punishment. “Capital punishment must apply,” several lawmakers argued, insisting that no judge should have the power to reduce the sentence for convicted kidnappers.
In a rare show of institutional self-critique, the Senate dissolved its Committee on National Security and Intelligence and its Committee on Air Force with immediate effect, directing all other security-related committees to submit written oversight reports and brief the chamber behind closed doors within one week.
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The PUNCH