The Ebonyi State Government has formally transmitted an executive bill to the State House of Assembly proposing the death penalty for anyone convicted of kidnapping, explicitly barring courts from offering alternative punishments or fines.
​Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru announced the legislative move over the weekend during the funeral ceremony of HRH Francis Igwe I, on Saturday, October 31, the late traditional ruler of Ndufu-Alike Ikwo, who was abducted and subsequently killed by suspected kidnappers in March. ​
Speaking to mournful constituents at the funeral grounds in Ndufu-Alike Ikwo, Governor Nwifuru declared a strict zero-tolerance policy toward violent crime across Ebonyi State. He explained that the proposed law removes judicial discretion for lighter sentencing by instituting mandatory capital punishment, effectively stripping convicted kidnappers of any options for bail, financial compensation, or alternative custodial relief.
​To reinforce the state’s resolve, Governor Nwifuru pledged to sign execution warrants without delay for anyone convicted under the act once the assembly passes the measure into law. He stated that the brutal murder of the traditional ruler was an unacceptable assault on the state’s cultural institutions and public security that demands the maximum legal deterrent.
​The executive bill is scheduled to be laid on the floor of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly complex in Abakaliki, where lawmakers are expected to begin deliberations during their upcoming legislative sessions.
