Abstract
The menace of kidnapping in Nigeria has become embarrassingly unstoppable. The situation has completely gone out of control. One approach that has gained some popularity in an attempt to curtail kidnapping incidents in the country is the amendment of the statute and the upgrading of kidnapping to a capital offence by the legislature in some States of the Federation. It is believed that by imposing capital punishment for the offence, people would be deterred from committing the offence. This paper reviews the crime of kidnapping, tracing the circumstances leading to its present rampancy. It also evaluates the effectiveness of death penalty as deterrence to crime. Relying on the continued, increased and sophisticated practice of armed robbery in the country in spite of its being made a capital offence since the 1970s, it concludes that imposing death penalty for the offence of kidnapping will not solve the problem. It further points out that the real solution to the problem lies in dealing with the root causes of the problem. Practical and effective solutions to the kidnapping saga in Nigeria were consequently proffered.
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