The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday adopted a landmark resolution classifying kidnapping as a form of terrorism, while also debating President Bola Tinubu’s directive to withdraw police escorts from Very Important Personalities (VIPs).
At plenary, senators unanimously agreed that kidnapping should be treated under terrorism laws, with offenders facing the death penalty once amendments to the Terrorism Act are effected.
The resolution comes amid rising public alarm over abductions across the country and growing calls for tougher deterrents.
“The resolution mandates that, upon conviction for kidnapping, the death penalty must be enforced,” the Senate stated.
Lawmakers stressed that categorizing the crime under terrorism laws would remove ambiguities in prosecution and intensify punishment.
Rising Wave of Abductions
The Senate’s decision follows a spate of high‑profile kidnappings. Just recently, bandits abducted 38 churchgoers in Eruku, Kwara State, while at least 10 residents were kidnapped in nearby Isapa.
In Kebbi State, 24 schoolgirls were taken from Government Girls Secondary School, Maga, and in Niger State, over 200 students were abducted.
Lawmakers said the escalating crisis demanded extraordinary measures to restore public confidence and deter criminal gangs.
During the same session, Senator Aliyu Wamakko, representing Sokoto North, cautioned President Tinubu against withdrawing police protection from VIPs. He argued that the directive could expose prominent individuals to greater danger.
“I have to disagree with the idea of withdrawing police from VIPs. That is another danger because the VIPs are going to be the next target,” Wamakko said.
The president’s directive, announced by spokesman Bayo Onanuga after a high‑level security meeting, aims to redeploy police officers to their “core duties” in communities. VIPs seeking armed escorts must now apply to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Wamakko warned that while community policing must be strengthened, removing escorts from VIPs could create fresh risks. He also urged government to stop negotiating or paying ransom to kidnappers, insisting that such concessions embolden criminals.
“The government should go after them and flush them out of their hiding places,” he declared.
With kidnapping now formally classified as terrorism and the Senate backing the death penalty for offenders, Nigeria’s legal framework is set for a major realignment.
At the same time, Tinubu’s directive on police escorts is generating anxiety over how best to balance grassroots security with the protection of high‑profile individuals.
Do you share the belief with the senate that harsher penalties for kidnappers will stop the crime for those who are ideologically driven, and those who have tasted the lucrative, even if illicit and grievous trade?
✅ This merged rewrite now presents a single, cohesive account of Senate events, enriched with factual detail, structured subheadings, and a forward‑looking close.
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