NIGERIA: KIDNAPPERS NOW TO FACE DEATH SENTENCE

in Nigeria, Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi announced a number of measures to make the Niger Delta safer for operators in the oil and gas industry and others within the region. Amaechi, who attributed the upsurge of hostage-taking in the state to the withdrawal of the military and police from checkpoints, revealed that the crime would soon be made a capital offence and punishable by death. Speaking in Abuja during a courtesy call on the Group Managing Director (GMD) of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC),Mr Mohammed Sanusi Barkindo, the governor said: "We are going to pass a bill into law against kidnapping. It is going to be a capital offence." The current punishment for kidnipping and false imprisonment under the criminal code is two to 10 years imprisonment.