Edo State court to grant death penalty for Kidnappers

Edo State has introduced the death penalty for anybody convicted of kidnapping in the state.

The law, which amended the Kidnapping Prohibition Act 2009, also prescribed the death penalty for those who aid and abet kidnappers, Governor Adams Oshiomhole told reporters after he signed the bill in the state capital of Benin on Friday.

"This law is signed in good faith; the government has the will to implement it in totality, no special task-force or tribunal will be constituted to try defaulters," Oshiomhole said.

He said the government was concerned about the increase of kidnapping in the state just as it was aware of the pain kidnappers had inflicted on their victims and families.

"This administration has taken necessary steps to effectively police all the security flash points in the state as we have discovered that the major criminals are migrants who visit the state and escape after committing crimes," he said.