The Lagos state Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode has signed into law, the
state kidnapping prohibition bill, 2016 which prescribes Life
Imprisonment or death penalty for the offence of Kidnapping and forceful
extortion in Lagos State, meaning that the recently arrested kidnap
kingpin, Chukwudubem Onwuamadike, a.k.a. Evans may get a life
imprisonment or death penalty sentence.
The law provides for
death penalty for kidnappers whose victims die in their custody, and
life imprisonment for the act of kidnapping.
He said that
kidnapping had become a major threat to the safety of residents and,
therefore, required decisive action by the government.
“This law
imposes a penalty of life imprisonment for kidnapping for ransom. “The
law stipulates that, where a victim dies in the course of kidnapping,
the suspect is liable on conviction to death. “Security is of utmost
importance to our administration, and we are confident that this law
will serve as a deterrent to anybody who may desire to engage in this
wicked act within the boundaries of Lagos State. “Our justice system
will be required to execute this law in absolute and make sure that any
criminal caught faces the full wrath of the law,” he said.
Recall that Evans himself had advised kidnappers or intending ones to
desist from the act, saying it does not pay any longer. He had said that
if he can be caught, then nobody can escape the police being that the
force has improved greatly in her anti-crime fight.
Evans, a
billionaire kidnap kingpin had successfully coordinated and
masterminded several high profile kidnappings and armed robberies within
Lagos, Anambra and Enugu States. According to him, “My advise to them
is that as they are watching me standing here with policemen, they
should stop everything about that, it doesn’t pay.” He gave the advise
to other kidnappers while leading police operatives to two houses in
Ejigbo and Igando areas of Lagos state where he keeps his victims until
huge ransoms are paid. According to him, he keeps most of his victims in
the two houses for months. He said he even pays up to seven hundred
thousand Naira, (700,000) yearly for a three bedroom flat çells’ where
the victims are kept. Upon departure from Igando area Evans had opined,
“The Nigeria Police is not what it is used to be. They are far more
advanced than they were. If they could arrest me, there is no criminal
they can’t arrest.”
