Plans measures against security breach in public schools
Gboyega Akinsanmi
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, yesterday signed the Prohibition of the Act of Kidnapping Bill into law, which he said, recommends life imprisonment for kidnapping for ransom and death penalty in a case where a victim dies.
Likewise, the governor disclosed the plan of his administration “to put in place appropriate measures, particularly in public schools and other vulnerable targets, to prevent security breaches.”
Ambode revealed the plan at Lagos House, Alausa, yesterday after signing the Prohibition of the Act of Kidnapping Bill into law with two other laws namely the Sports Trust Fund Law and Sport Commission Law.
He signed the three laws alongside the Deputy Governor, Dr. Oluranti Adebule, Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello and the Majority Leader of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Sinai Agunbiade among others.
The governor explained that the three laws were enacted to address key issues bordering on security and effectively harnessing the potential in the sports sector, noting that kidnapping “has become a major threat to the safety of citizens and therefore required decisive action by the government.”
He added that the kidnapping law “imposes a penalty of life imprisonment for kidnapping for ransom. The law stipulates that where a victim dies in the course of a kidnap, the suspect is liable on conviction to death.
“Security is of utmost importance to our administration and we are confident that this law will serve as a deterrent to anybody who may desire to engage in this wicked act within the boundaries of Lagos state.”
The governor promised that the state justice system would be required “to execute the kidnapping law to the letter and make sure that any criminal caught faces the full wrath of the law.”
While he said his administration would use this law to address the challenge of kidnapping and punish the criminals, Ambode noted that the state government would put in place appropriate measures, particularly in public schools and other vulnerable targets, to prevent security breaches.
Also, the governor said the Sports Commission Law would give legal backing to the formulation and implementation of sports policies in the state while the Sports Trust Fund would enable the state government to raise money for the development of sporting facilities and activities.
He added that the fund “will provide a platform where the state government can enter into partnership with the private sector to finance sports infrastructure, tournaments and programmes which will in turn create employment and generate revenue for the state.
“As provided for in the law, a Board of Trustees comprising all stakeholders in the sports community will be inaugurated soon to manage the Sports Trust Fund. By these laws, we have restated our commitment to Sports and making Lagos the hub of Sports in Nigeria,” Ambode explained.
