Oyo abduction: Kidnappers should face death sentence, not life imprisonment – Buhari’s ex-aide

A former media aide to the late ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, Bashir Ahmad, has suggested that the appropriate punishment for kidnappers should be death sentence and not life imprisonment.

Ahmad maintained that life imprisonment is too lenient for the crime of kidnapping.

He made his view known in a post on X while reacting to the Abuja Federal High Court ruling that sentenced three suspects involved in the kidnapping of students and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State to life imprisonment.

Justice Salim Ibrahim ruled that the sentencing of Abdulrazak Umar, alias Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid; Yunusa Musa, alias Yunusa Bin Musa; and Shamsu Adamu Sani, alias Abu Itisar, will start from the date of their arrest.

Prior to the judgment, counsel to the accused had prayed that the court would sentence them on liberal terms.

The counsel noted that the defendants were first-time offenders and had pleaded guilty.

Reacting, Ahmad wrote: “Life imprisonment seems too lenient for the crime of kidnapping. 

“In my view, the appropriate punishment for convicted kidnappers should be the death penalty.”