NIGERIA: NBA OPPOSES CAPITAL PUNISHMENT FOR KIDNAPPING

the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) cautioned the Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, against making kidnapping a capital offence. It maintained that there was no justification in enlarging the scope of death. Amaechi announced that hostage taking in
the state would soon be made a capital offence and punished by death. Speaking with the Daily Independent, the 2nd Vice-President of the Association, Adekunle Ojo, warned that enacting a law to make kidnapping a capital offense would not in anyway deter the abductors, but rather harden them. The association pointed out that most countries in the world are abolishing the death penalty from their penal codes and wondered why Nigeria should be promoting it.