Death penalty for kidnappers in Benue as Ortom signs two bills into law

It is no longer business as usual for kidnappers in Benue State, as the anti-kidnapping bill signed into law by Governor Samuel Ortom has slammed death penalty on any kidnapper found liable.

Governor Ortom at the stakeholders meeting held on Monday at government house, Makurdi shows stringent penalties for kidnappers, hostage taking, cult members, their accomplices and other similar offences.

Traditional rulers, prominent political office holders both at national amid state levels, politicians and others in their categories were in attendance where governor Ortom presented his midterm score card.

The two executive bills signed into law are; Adoption, hostage taking, kidnapping secret cult and similar offences as well as open grazing prohibition and ranches establishment law, 2017.

The former law gives more stringent penalty  for offenders and accords more power to law enforcements agents than the latter.

Going by the highlights of the first law, it stipulates that anyone whose house is used for unlawful detention and kidnapping if found guilty is liable to death sentence.

Detonation of explosive instrument within the state will now attract five years while anyone found to be a member of secret cult is liable to 10 years without option of fine.

The law also stated that whoever is found guilty of hostage taking and found guilty will earn ten years jail term while any act of terrorism attracts liable punishment of 14 yrs.

Also whoever permits his premises to be  used for  hostage taking  such property will be forfeited to government, also any threat to person on kidnapping is liable to seven years jail terms.

The new law also stipulates that any public office holders who sponsor kidnapping  and found liable will be removed from office and risk  three years in jail, it also added that anyone in possession of illegal firearms in state will and upon conviction be jailed for three years while whoever aids  cultism is also liable to three years jail term.

The anti grazing law provides that anyone who engages in open grazing in Benue State and on conviction will now be liable for five years imprisonment.

The new law provides for monetary compensation in case of any damage to a property and imprisonment of two years of the livestock owner or manager in case of injury to any person in the state.

“Where such contravention causes the death of any person within the state, the owner or manager of such livestock shall be guilty of an offense of culpable homicide punishable under the penal code law”.

It also provides that anyone who engages in cattle rustling shall be liable on conviction for imprisonment of a term not less than three years or payment of one hundred thousand per animal or both.