The Senate has approved a resolution designating kidnapping as an act of terrorism, paving the way for an amendment to the Terrorism Prevention Act that would impose the death penalty on convicted offenders.
The decision was reached during Wednesday’s plenary session, signaling one of the strongest legislative responses yet to the nation’s worsening abduction crisis.
According to the Senate, the proposed amendment mandates that once a kidnapping conviction is secured under the revised law, the maximum penalty—death—must be applied without exception.
Lawmakers said the measure is aimed at deterring the escalating wave of kidnappings across the country and reinforcing Nigeria’s commitment to combating violent crimes with decisive legal action.
