The Niger State Government has said the divulgence of information to bandits and kidnappers in Niger State is punishable by death by hanging.

Governor Abubakar Bello made this known when he assented to some laws in accordance with Section 100(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).

The laws include the Kidnapping and Cattle Rustling (Special Provisions) Law, 2021; Niger State Vigilante Corps (Amendment) Law, 2021; Niger State House of Assembly Service Commission Law, 202; the Office of the Auditor-General of the State Law, 2021; and the Office of the Auditor-General of the Local Government Law, 2021.

Speaking at an event held at Government House, Minna, he said the Kidnapping and Cattle Rustling Special Provisions Law of 2016 was amended to provide for the punishment of informants and all those involved in the aiding and abetting of kidnapping and cattle rustling in the state.

According to him, the law now provides that “whoever instigates any person to kidnap a person or rustle cattle or intentionally aids, abets or facilitate by any acts of omission or commission of the offence of kidnapping and or cattle rustling is guilty of an offence and is liable on conviction to death by hanging in public.

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He said the punitive measure became necessary, given the security challenges that had continued to threaten peaceful coexistence in the state in particular and the country in general.

He regretted the unpatriotic activities of informants who, according to him, had contributed to thwarting the efforts of the security agencies in combating the nefarious activities of kidnappers and cattle rustlers.

Bello also noted that the vigilante amendment law was meant to invigorate and strengthen the state vigilante corps for better operational efficiency in the discharge of their statutory function of complementing the efforts of conventional federal security forces.