The anti-kidnapping bill signed into law by Governor of
Benue State, Samuel Ortom has ordered death penalty on any kidnapper found
liable.
Ortom at the stakeholders meeting held on Monday at government
house, Makurdi shows stringent penalties for kidnappers, hostage taking, cult
members, their accomplices and other similar offences.
The two executive bills signed into law are; Adoption,
hostage taking, kidnapping secret cult and similar offences as well as open
grazing prohibition and ranches establishment law, 2017.
The former law gives more stringent penalty for offenders and accords more power to law
enforcements agents than the latter.
Going by the highlights of the first law, it stipulates that
anyone whose house is used for unlawful detention and kidnapping if found
guilty is liable to death sentence.
Detonation of explosive instrument within the state will now
attract five years while anyone found to be a member of secret cult is liable
to 10 years without option of fine.
The law also stated that whoever is found guilty of hostage
taking and found guilty will earn ten years jail term while any act of
terrorism attracts liable punishment of 14 yrs.
Also whoever permits his premises to be used for
hostage taking such property will
be forfeited to government, also any threat to person on kidnapping is liable
to seven years jail terms.
The new law also stipulates that any public office holders
who sponsor kidnapping and found liable
will be removed from office and risk
three years in jail, it also added that anyone in possession of illegal
firearms in state will and upon conviction be jailed for three years while
whoever aids cultism is also liable to
three years jail term.
The anti grazing law provides that anyone who engages in
open grazing in Benue State and on conviction will now be liable for five years
imprisonment.
The new law provides for monetary compensation in case of
any damage to a property and imprisonment of two years of the livestock owner
or manager in case of injury to any person in the state.
“Where such contravention causes the death of any person
within the state, the owner or manager of such livestock shall be guilty of an
offense of culpable homicide punishable under the penal code law”.
It also provides that anyone who engages in cattle rustling
shall be liable on conviction for imprisonment of a term not less than three
years or payment of one hundred thousand per animal or both.
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