A former UN human rights expert, Professor Uchenna Emelonye, is telling Nigerian senators to drop their death penalty plan for kidnappers. He spoke directly to Senate President Godswill Akpabio and other lawmakers during an online press conference. The professor called the idea a distraction.
Emelonye argued that harsher punishments fail as a deterrent, especially with Nigeria's weak law enforcement. He pointed out that over a dozen states, like Lagos and Rivers, already have capital punishment for kidnapping on the books. The crime continues because of poor detection rates and low arrests, not lenient laws.
He warned that adding kidnapping to the Terrorism Act would cause legal chaos and overload federal courts. With thousands already on death row and almost no executions carried out, he said the focus should be on functional policing, not symbolic, unused penalties. Emelonye shared that his own brother was once kidnapped, stressing that traumatized families need real prevention, not tougher, unenforced sentences.
Emelonye argued that harsher punishments fail as a deterrent, especially with Nigeria's weak law enforcement. He pointed out that over a dozen states, like Lagos and Rivers, already have capital punishment for kidnapping on the books. The crime continues because of poor detection rates and low arrests, not lenient laws.
He warned that adding kidnapping to the Terrorism Act would cause legal chaos and overload federal courts. With thousands already on death row and almost no executions carried out, he said the focus should be on functional policing, not symbolic, unused penalties. Emelonye shared that his own brother was once kidnapped, stressing that traumatized families need real prevention, not tougher, unenforced sentences.
