By Valentine Amanze
Delta State House of Assembly on Wednesday, amended “Delta State Anti-kidnapping and Anti-Terrorism bill.”
In the amended copy, the crime (kidnapping) nolonger carry death penalty but life imprisonment.
The assembly through the House Committee on Peace, Security, Ethics and Privileges had before now called for memoranda on the matter and worked with the house committee on Rules, Business, Legal and Judicial Matters in scrutinising the bill.
The bill dealth with how to regulate the activities of kidnappers and terrorists, prosecution of offenders, strategies for investigation, how stakeholders can collaborate to protect lives and properties, ways of promoting measures to improve assistance to the people affected as well as ways of promoting surveillance and intelligence gathering.
Speaker of the assembly, Monday Igbuya, confirmed that the legislation, when passed, would attract life sentence and would not be a bailable offence.
He called for enhanced security in the state, highlighting ugly incidence of kidnapping, armed robbery, cult group clashes and youths unrest in parts of the state.
The speaker also disclosed that some steps had been taken towards addressing the problem including support to security agencies and local vigilantes.
