President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has declared his support for the death penalty for kidnappers, while also commending President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s handling of national security and pledging the Senate’s backing for stronger deterrents against violent crime.
Akpabio spoke on Thursday at the 14th National Caucus of the All Progressives Congress at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, where he praised what he described as the President’s “decisive leadership” in addressing insecurity and restoring stability within the region.
He specifically hailed the recent rescue of kidnapped children and prayed for the safe return of those still in captivity, while offering condolences to families of military personnel and civilians who lost their lives during rescue operations.
“We condole with families who have lost loved ones, including members of the armed forces who died protecting lives and property. We will stand with their families in this moment of grief,” he said.
Akpabio linked Nigeria’s internal security challenges to developments beyond its borders, commending President Tinubu’s intervention to stabilise democracy in the Benin Republic and stressing the importance of regional peace to Nigeria’s security.
“If our neighbours are not stable, Nigeria cannot be stable,” he said, adding that the Senate fully supports such diplomatic and security efforts.
He also drew attention to recent legislative steps aimed at strengthening deterrence against violent crimes, noting that kidnapping has now been placed on the same legal footing as terrorism under proposed amendments currently before the National Assembly.
“Kidnappers will face the death sentence once the President assents to the bill,” he said, warning that failure to enforce capital punishment could encourage further jailbreaks and lead to more killings.
The Senate President reaffirmed the legislature’s readiness to work with the executive to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture and ensure tougher consequences for crimes threatening public safety.
