Nigeria is witnessing a major national uproar after the Senate pushed forward a bill seeking to impose the death penalty on kidnappers and bandits. While several lawmakers strongly back the proposal, influential Islamic scholar Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has openly rejected it—warning that it will worsen insecurity rather than solve it.
The proposed law, the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Amendment Bill, 2025 (SB.969), recently scaled second reading. It classifies kidnapping and hostage-taking as acts of terrorism and prescribes capital punishment with no option of fine.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, who sponsored the bill with support from 108 senators, described kidnapping as a “commercialised national menace” that has destroyed homes, crippled communities and empowered violent criminal networks. Senators across party lines called the bill “urgent and necessary to save lives.”
But Gumi says the Senate is only treating symptoms, not the cause.
Gumi: “Death Penalty Is Not the Solution—Fix the Root Problems”
Sheikh Ahmad Gumi strongly rejected the proposed death sentence, arguing that:
- Poverty, injustice, marginalisation, and lack of opportunities are the real drivers of banditry.
- Killing offenders will not stop crime in a system with weak investigations and wrongful arrests.
- Dialogue, reintegration, and social investment remain the only sustainable long-term solutions.
According to him, “Nigeria cannot solve banditry by executing more people. Address the root causes: inequality, lack of jobs, and failed governance.”
Gumi warned that increasing state violence often fuels more retaliation from armed groups, which could worsen insecurity in rural communities.
Human Rights Experts Also Warn Against the Bill
International human rights scholar Prof. Uchenna Emelonye, a former UN envoy, echoed similar concerns.
He cautioned that expanding the death penalty:
- Violates global human rights norms
- Does not deter crime
- Risks wrongful executions due to torture-based confessions and weak prosecution
- Puts Nigeria at odds with the ICCPR (ratified in 1993)
Emelonye insisted that improving policing, intelligence, and community-based security would be far more effective.
Supporters Say the Death Penalty Will ‘Send a Message’
Despite criticism, many lawmakers remain firm in their support.
They argue:
- Banditry has claimed thousands of lives
- Communities are under siege
- Security agencies are overwhelmed
- Extreme crimes require extreme consequences
Senators and several state governors want the penalty enforced immediately, saying it will “send a strong warning” to criminal groups.
Nigerians React: “Fix the Justice System First”
On social media, many Nigerians questioned whether a death-penalty law can succeed when:
- Investigations are often flawed
- Corruption influences prosecution
- Wrong people are sometimes arrested
- Rural communities lack proper policing
Even Senator Adams Oshiomhole publicly objected to the bill’s rushed approval via voice vote, insisting that “matters of life and death require careful handling.”
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