The National President, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Biodun Ogunyemi, has expressed support for the Senate’s decision to punish anyone caught paying ransom to kidnappers.
Ogunyemi shared his opinions in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday.
He said this while decrying the spate of insecurity in the country, urging the Federal Government to step up to its role of preserving the lives of citizens in the country.
He said, “It is the duty of the government to secure the life and property of the citizenry, the government has to do this with commitment.
“It is difficult to wipe out the traces of criminality in a society that is plagued by feelings of injustice, mass poverty and unemployment.”
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On the issue of payment of ransom to kidnappers, Ogunyemi said that it was ” a kind of encouragement to indulge in crime.”
He described the move by the Senate as “a step in the right direction”.
Ransom Payment, Senate’s Move
Last week, the Red Chamber had declared that it was working to criminalise the payment of ransom to kidnappers.
As stipulated in the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Bill, 2021, sponsored by Ezenwa Onyewuchi (PDP, Imo East) – which has passed second reading – “Anyone who transfers funds, makes payment or colludes with an abductor, kidnapper or terrorist to receive any ransom for the release of any person, who has been wrongfully confined, imprisoned or kidnapped is guilty of a felony and is liable on conviction to a term of imprisonment of not less than 15 years.”
The new bill will serve as an amendment to the Terrorism (Prevention) Act, 2013, expunging the payment of ransom to abductors.
