Nigeria's Justice Minister Lateef Fagbemi argued against the Senate's push for mandatory death penalties on kidnappers and terrorists, stating it could worsen insecurity by promoting martyrdom and hindering international cooperation.
At a Senate public hearing on amending the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, Fagbemi cautioned that executions validate extremists' ideologies, turning convicts into martyrs rather than deterring crime. He highlighted risks to extraditions, as foreign partners refuse to hand over suspects facing capital punishment on human rights grounds, potentially creating safe havens abroad. Fagbemi also noted governors' reluctance to sign execution warrants, leading to indefinite detentions, and the irreversible nature of death sentences amid possible judicial errors.
The Senate, led by Opeyemi Bamidele, passed a bill classifying kidnapping as terrorism with mandatory death penalties no fines or discretion for offenders, financiers, and enablers, following attacks like the Kwara church ambush killing two and abducting 38. Sponsored amid surges in Kwara, Kebbi, and Niger, the bill advanced to committees after second reading, aiming to end judicial leniency where current law limits death sentences to fatal kidnappings.
This clash occurs during Tinubu's security emergency declaration, boosting armed forces recruitment amid public fury over failing to protect lives. Critics slam the administration's stance as soft on crime fueling banditry, while Fagbemi urges reversible punishments to uphold state moral authority. Nationwide outrage demands tougher measures, contrasting government fears of radicalization and diplomatic fallout.