Kebbi Governor, Atiku Bagudu, has signed into law a bill making kidnapping a capital offence and rape attracts life imprisonment.

A statement on Thursday by Rahmatu Gulma, the state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, said, “Therefore, with the assent into law of the model penal code 202, punishment of Kidnapping in the state, under section 247 of the law, is death. Also, punishment for rape, under section 259 sub-section (1), is life imprisonment.”

Ms. Gulma also stated that the two laws were among five laws assented to by the governor.

The governor assented to the Administration of Criminal Justice Law 2021; the Model Penal Code Law 2021; and the law to repeal and re-enact law number 3 of 2002 the establishment of Kebbi State College of Nursing Sciences, Birnin Kebbi, 2021.

She said with the signing into law of the administration of criminal justice, there would be “less custodial sentencing” as courts would have the flexibility of non-custodial sentencing for minor offences.

The commissioner further stressed that prisons would be less congested and it would also facilitate accelerated trials of criminal offences.

Mr. Bagudu had in December 2020 assented to a law on administration and collection of revenue due to the state and local government councils.

(NAN)