Agaju Madugba, Katsina

Katsina Stage governor, Aminu Bello Masari, has signed an amended Act of the Penal Code law prescribing death penalty for the offences of kidnapping and cattle rustling.

Henceforth also, a person convicted of the offence of rape will be sentenced to life imprisonment, apart from paying relevant fines and compensation to the victim. Speaking yesterday at a ceremony at the Government House, Masari said government took the decision to review the laws to serve as deterrence to persons who may have the intention of committing the heinous crimes.

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The governor also signed an amendment to the Criminal Justice Act as recommended by the Federal Government, pertaining to the administration of justice in the country including speedy trial of cases in the various courts. According to Masari, “Katsina State is currently facing certain security challenges.”

The state, it must be noted, within the past few months had joined Zamfara and Kaduna states in acquiring the inglorious tag of notoriety in kidnapping and cattle rustling as bandits continue to unleash terror on a number of communities in the area, killing residents without restriction and burning down entire villages. From Batsari to Faskari and Dan-Musa and Kankara Local Government areas, the bandits’ strike and retreat into the Rugu forest while surviving residents flee, sometimes to nowhere and in most cases the security agencies arrive several hours after the attacks.