Reported by: Puis Althea | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Three major Muslim organisations in Nigeria have issued a united and uncompromising call for the Federal Government to impose the death penalty on individuals convicted of kidnapping, particularly those responsible for the recent abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire, Oyo State. The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), The Criterion (an association of Muslim women in business and the professions), and the Muslim Students' Society of Nigeria (MSSN), Lagos State Area Unit, declared that kidnappers who murder their victims have forfeited any claim to legal courtesy, judicial protocol, or human rights protections.
In a statement issued on Thursday, July 23, 2026, the groups insisted that the perpetrators of such heinous crimes do not belong to the community of "homo sapiens compos mentis" and deserve no mercy under the law. “We recommend maximum penalties provided by law, including capital punishment where legally applicable, for convicted kidnappers, terrorists and bandits whose actions result in loss of life and widespread terror,” the groups said in a joint statement published by The Nation Newspaper. “Nigeria cannot develop in an atmosphere of fear. Security must remain a national priority.”
The call comes just days after a Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced three men to life imprisonment for their roles in the abduction of pupils and teachers from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area on May 15, 2026. The victims, who spent 56 harrowing days in captivity, were rescued on July 10 following a coordinated intelligence-led operation by security forces. During their ordeal, two teachers were brutally murdered by the kidnappers, an act that has galvanised public outrage and hardened the position of Islamic civil society groups.
MURIC Director Professor Is-haq Akintola, speaking on behalf of the groups, did not mince words. “We pity lawyers who will defend them. Nigerians want to see them tied to the backs of trucks and dragged on the streets of Ogbomosho,” he said. “Democracy has proved its own weakness here. If Shari’ah were allowed to be used in deciding their case, according to Qur’an 5:33, they would have been nailed to crosses. Then their right hands and left legs would be cut off before they are killed. It would have served as a bitter lesson to other kidnappers.” Akintola decried the opposition to Shari’ah law as rooted in ignorance, insisting that only severe punishment can serve as a sufficient deterrent against the scourge of mass abduction and terrorism.
While lauding the security agencies for their professionalism and meticulous planning in the rescue operation, the groups also demanded that the government immortalise the fallen heroes who paid the ultimate price. They specifically called for the immortalisation of Lieutenant Festus Isaac and his colleague, urging the government to compensate their families. “They must not die in vain,” Akintola said, acknowledging the sacrifices made by security personnel in the line of duty.
The Criterion, represented by its International Ameerah, Hajia Shakirat Shekoni, commended the government and security operatives for their resoluteness in executing the intelligence-led rescue operation. However, she cautioned that the fight against terrorism and banditry is far from over. “There remain other schoolchildren, women, and innocent citizens languishing in the dens of kidnappers across various regions of the country,” Shekoni said. “We charge the government and the security architecture not to rest on their oars, but to use this operation as a blueprint to hasten the rescue of all other captives nationwide. Every Nigerian life is sacred.”
The MSSN Lagos Amir, Dr. Ajibola Salami, added his voice to the demand for capital punishment, framing it as a necessary deterrent under Islamic law. “Islamic law recognises that proportionate punishment serves as a deterrent against crime. Ensuring that violent criminals are held accountable discourages others from engaging in similar acts and contributes to the maintenance of law, order, and public safety,” Salami said. He stressed that Nigeria must move beyond condemnation towards decisive and sustainable solutions, advocating for the full application of maximum penalties for all convicted kidnappers and terrorists.
The groups' hardline stance follows a broader debate over sentencing for terrorism-related offences, with MURIC separately rejecting the life imprisonment handed to two convicted Ansaru commanders, describing the sentence as "too lenient, too dangerous and too disproportionate." The organisation has insisted that terrorists sentenced to death must be executed within seven days of judgment to prevent jailbreaks and further attacks. The combined demand from MURIC, The Criterion, and MSSN now places significant pressure on the Federal Government and the judiciary to consider harsher penalties as the nation grapples with a rising tide of mass abductions and organised criminality. With public sentiment increasingly leaning towards retributive justice, the call for capital punishment is likely to intensify as Nigeria seeks to restore confidence in its security and judicial systems.
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