Bauchi signs kidnapping, rape, other bills into laws

Governor Mohammed Abdullahi of Bauchi State has signed the Kidnapping, Rape and Theft of Cattle Bills, among others into law.
Under the new laws signed by the governor on March 6, the offences carry various punishments of life imprisonment and death penalties, among others.
The state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Ibrahim Umar, made this known while briefing newsmen on Tuesday in Bauchi.
Umar said: “In the Kidnapping Law, whoever seizes, confines, indulges, decoys, instill fear, tricks, abducts or carries away and hold ransom or reward or otherwise, any person with or without weapon, commits the offense of kidnapping.
“Whoever is guilty of the offence of kidnapping shall be punished with imprisonment.
“If death of any person occurs as a result of committing the offence of kidnapping, the offender shall be punished with death sentence.
“Where two persons conspire to commit kidnapping and one or more of such persons do any overt act to effect the object of conspiracy, each shall be guilty of conspiracy and liable to 30 years imprisonment.”
The commissioner said the law also provides that any person who commits the offence of theft of cattle, shall on conviction, be liable to imprisonment for a term which may extend to 15 years.
Umar said: “The law on raping states whoever commits rape, shall upon conviction, be punished with life imprisonment.”
Umar said that the state government also signed a law to provide free emergency treatment to accident victims within 24 hours of occurrence.
He said that the state government would provide Accident and Emergency Unit, Intensive Care Unit and Blood Bank equipped with personnel for each of the state government hospitals.
The commissioner said that the state government would also provide reliable and effective communication gadgets.
Umar said: “The law states that state government shall provide funds and logistics for joint patrol of the Hospital Service Management Board and the Federal Road Safety Corps in rescuing accident victims across the three senatorial districts.
“Any government hospital that fails to accept accident victims shall have its officers on duty that day punished according to the civil service rules which may include reduction in rank.”
Umar said that the law implies to all accidents, such as domestic fire, industrial fire, plane crash, flood disaster, snake bite, dog bite, rainstorm, bomb blasts, gun shots and rape.
He said: “Similarly, a bill that provides law for the state fisheries and other related matters was also signed by the governor.
“The law is to regulate activities of fisheries to promote a healthy lifestyle and ensure that the products are free from contamination and poisonous chemicals with various fines stipulated for offenders.”