Osun assembly recommends death penalty for kidnappers
Speaker of the Osun state House of Assembly, Timothy Owoeye on Tuesday said that the Osun state Kidnapping and other related crimes (prohibition) Bill 2020 will compliment efforts of the ‘Amotekun’ corps when fully inaugurated.
The speaker made the declaration at the public hearing organized by the assembly on the anti-kidnapping bill, stating that it is imperative to have an enabling law to ensure quick and diligent prosecution of kidnap offenders.
Owoeye pointed out that since the issue of ‘Amotekun’ corps began, there has been a downward trend in the cases of kidnapping in Osun and other states in the south -west.
He held that the 7th assembly under his watch is reviewing the existing laws on kidnapping which recommended 14 years would be reviewed to death penalty.
The speaker added that should the bill scale through the needed stages, people caught with human parts and kidnappers whose victims die in the process of the kidnap will face death sentence as against imprisonment that is obtainable before now.
Owoeye noted that with the way kidnapping seem to be becoming lucrative, it is sacrosanct that laws with severe consequences be put in place to avoid many Nigerians becoming kidnap targets.
“Ever since the issue of ‘Amotekun’ came up, I have noticed a downward spiral of kidnapping in Osun and other south west states, however, I am more afraid of the surge in ritual related cases.
“The whole country was saddened at the gruesome murder and dismembering of 23-year –old, Favour Oladele, a 400 level student, of Lagos state University for money ritual purposes. We as Osun citizens are more embittered that the killing took that place in Ikoyi Town, our own soil.
“We as parents and community leaders must begin to re-orientate our young ones on this prevailing get-rich-quick syndrome. There is no short-cut to success; the only road I know of is preparation, hard work, patience and perseverance,” the speaker added.
Chairman, Osun Civil Society Coalition, Comrade Waheed Lawal advanced reasons for government at all levels to re-double their efforts in making jobs available for employable youth, stating that it would go a long way to reduce crime rate in the country.
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Police Community Relations Committee Chairman in the state, Comrade Amitolu Shittu commended the 7th assembly for championing the crusade of bringing sanity to the society.
Shittu opined that the bill should include that any kidnapper found guilty of female sexual assault and harassment should be jailed for 50 years.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Women Leader, Alhaja Kudirat Fakokunde admonished parents to ensure proper monitoring of their children to assist in the campaign against kidnapping and other related crimes.
