Monday, November 2, 2026 -The Ebonyi State Government has forwarded an executive bill to the State House of Assembly seeking to make kidnapping a capital offense punishable by death by hanging, with no alternative sentencing options.
Governor Francis Nwifuru announced the legislative move over
the weekend during the funeral of the slain traditional ruler of the
Ndufu-Alike autonomous community in Ikwo Local Government Area, HRH Eze Francis
Igwe.
The late monarch who was the father of the immediate past
Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, Eric Igwe was abducted on Sunday, March 1,
while traveling to church, and was reportedly murdered by his captors the
following day.
Speaking at the funeral service, which was officiated by the
Assemblies of God Church, Governor Nwifuru lamented a troubling moral
deterioration among contemporary youths and expressed deep concern over their
readiness for future leadership roles.
Pledging to swiftly implement any judicial verdict against
those apprehended in connection with the monarch's assassination, the governor
emphasized that the proposed bill is designed to decisively deter kidnapping
and abduction across the state, regardless of whether the motives are financial
or political.
“I am worried about our present-day youths taking up
leadership positions tomorrow. Some of our youths are not well informed, and
they act so irrationally,” Nwifuru said.
“I will not wait to execute the decision of the court over
the murderers of this monarch, HRH Eze Francis Igwe. We have sent a bill to the
House of Assembly to make kidnapping attract the death sentence by hanging in
the state, with no other option. This should serve as a deterrent to those
planning a kidnap, whether for political reasons or otherwise.”
Warning that the monarch's murder must remain the final
tragedy of its kind in Ikwo and throughout Ebonyi State, Nwifuru urged youths
to abandon criminality and respect community leadership.
During the tributes, former governors Sam Egwu and Martin
Elechi, alongside former Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim, remembered the late
royal father as an astute administrator, peacemaker, and dedicated educationist
who brought vital development projects such as the Folk Technical College to
his community.
The monarch's eldest son, Eric Igwe, reflected on his
father's life as a devoted family man and moral compass, noting that while the
circumstances of his death remain devastating, his legacy will endure. He also
shared that his father's final wish before his passing was for Governor Nwifuru
to secure a second term in office.
0 Comments