Ben Kalu Seeks Jail Terms for Govt Officials Who Negotiate With Kidnappers

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ben Kalu, has called for tough penalties against government officials who negotiate ransoms or endorse informal amnesty deals with criminals.

He made the proposal during the chamber’s special session on national security, stressing that decisive legislative action is critical to confronting Nigeria’s worsening insecurity.

Kalu listed the measure as a top priority in the parliament’s six-month legislative agenda, noting that outlawing ransom negotiations would strengthen the country’s crisis-response framework.

“The key provisions are clear,” he said. “First, criminal penalties for any government official who negotiates ransom or authorises unstructured amnesty deals. Second, mandatory prosecution through the criminal justice system.”

The Abia-born lawmaker expressed deep concern over the rising wave of kidnappings and violent attacks, warning that Nigeria can no longer afford half-measures. He urged the Federal Government and security agencies to move with urgency.

“As you all know, Nigeria’s security challenges demand immediate action,” he told lawmakers and invited guests at the session.

Kalu also pushed for accelerated efforts toward establishing state or local police, arguing that modern, well-equipped policing is vital to confronting crime more effectively.

The special session was convened amid a sharp spike in nationwide kidnappings, including recent abductions of schoolchildren and worshippers. In response to the escalating crisis, President Bola Tinubu has directed security agencies to intensify operations, ordered the withdrawal of police escorts from VIPs, and even postponed planned foreign trips as attacks surged.

Kalu’s proposals signal a growing demand for tougher, more coordinated measures to restore public confidence and stem the tide of insecurity.