Saliu Mustapha Roars at Senate Plenary: “Death Penalty for Kidnappers — No Mercy, No Discounts.”

Saliu Mustapha Roars at Senate Plenary: “Death Penalty for Kidnappers — No Mercy, No Discounts.”

The red chambers trembled with conviction as Senator Saliu Mustapha, the lawmaker representing Kwara Central, delivered one of the most uncompromising security positions seen in the Senate in recent months. His voice carried the weight of a nation on edge, a people exhausted, and communities desperately seeking relief from the escalating tide of kidnappings and rural terror.

A few days ago on the Senate floor, as he backed a motion by Senator Yisa Lola Ashiru (Kwara South) on the worsening insecurity in Kwara, Kebbi, and Niger States, Senator Saliu Mustapha dropped a legislative hammer: anyone linked to kidnapping or terrorism — whether as a perpetrator, collaborator, or enabler — should face the death penalty, without fines, without judicial leniency, and without any escape route.

It was a line drawn in fire.

At a time when criminality is mutating faster than government responses, Mustapha insisted that the Senate must stop dancing around the problem and adopt a stance that hits fear where it belongs — in the hearts of criminals who have turned kidnapping into an industrial-scale enterprise.

He didn’t stop there.

The Senator also made a passionate appeal for improved welfare and stronger incentives for Nigeria’s security personnel — the soldiers, police officers, intelligence operatives, and local defenders who step into the shadows daily to keep the rest of the nation alive. According to him, Nigeria cannot continue to demand heroism from its troops while neglecting the sacrifices they make in the line of duty.

“Our nation deserves peace and security, and it is our collective responsibility to support policies that protect lives and uphold justice. Together, we can ensure a safer Nigeria for all.” he stressed.

Mustapha also used the moment to acknowledge and commend both the Kwara State Government and the Federal Government for their recent proactive efforts, which have led to the rescue of abducted victims and the foiling of several attacks. He noted that these interventions signal a renewed seriousness in confronting banditry and terrorism head-on, and urged all levels of government to sustain the momentum.

With communities in Kwara plagued by recent abductions, villages in Kebbi shattered by raids, and parts of Niger State trapped in the grip of terror networks, Mustapha’s intervention resonated as both a warning and a call to action. His message was unmistakable: Nigeria cannot negotiate its way out of this crisis. It must legislate decisively.

The Senator further argued that peace is not a miracle; it is a policy outcome. And at this moment in Nigeria’s history, the nation needs lawmakers with the courage to push beyond political correctness and embrace bold, uncompromising solutions.

Osigwe Omo-Ikirodah is the Principal and CEO of Bush Radio Academy.