Nigeria needs strong legislation against kidnapping – Cleric

March 4, 2016

Tunde Ajaja

The Bishop of the Lagos Central Diocese of the African Church, Rt. Rev. Gabriel Adebanjo, has called on government at all levels to tighten the law against kidnapping in the country.

The cleric was abducted along with his wife while travelling to Warri, Delta State for a programme in December 2015. His driver sustained gunshot wounds during the attack.

The couple were released after paying a ransom.

The Bishop, who led six other clerics of the church on a courtesy visit to Punch Place, Corporate headquarters of Punch Nigeria Limited along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Thursday, said they came to thank the organisation for giving the kidnap case a massive media coverage.Adebanjo called for severe punishments for those involved in kidnapping people in the country, saying the move would serve as a deterrent to other would-be offenders.

He said, “We came to appreciate The PUNCH for playing a leading role in our release. The publicity you gave the issue at the right time precipitated our release from the kidnappers’ den.

“On behalf of the diocese, we appreciate you so much and we say thank you for the love you have for the church, the ministers of God and the country. May the Lord continue to stand by you and protect all of us.”

Adebanjo described his experience at the hands of his abductors as “traumatic”.

He said the young kidnappers kept saying they wanted to make quick money.

The cleric added, “One of them even told me to pray for him to get rich. It was through the grace of God that we were not consumed. I was in their den for almost 10 days while they held my wife for almost 20 days.

“The country needs to look for a solution to this problem because it is becoming more rampant and nobody is safe.

“I think what we should do as a society is to come up with a very strong legislation that would ensure that people who kidnap others are severely punished, so it will act as a deterrent to others.

“Government should, through legislation and improved security, put an end to this menace. Just few days ago, three schoolgirls were abducted from the Babington Macaulay Seminary School in Lagos by suspected gunmen.”