Kidnappers should be executed on live TV – Williams Uchemba

Actor, Williams Uchemba has sparked nationwide debate after calling for the execution of kidnappers as a way to curb the rising wave of insecurity across Nigeria

In a video message shared on his social media page, Uchemba expressed frustration over the government’s failure to enforce existing laws against kidnapping, which he noted already carry the death penalty in several states.

Using a vivid analogy, he compared the country’s leniency toward criminals to a parent’s failure to discipline a child who steals.

“When a child begins to steal meat from the mother’s pot and the mother does very little in terms of punishment, what she’s doing is breeding a hardened criminal that may one day destroy her life or bring disgrace to the family,” he said.

Uchemba questioned why, despite constitutional provisions, many caught kidnappers are neither imprisoned nor executed. He argued that visible and decisive punishment could serve as a deterrent to others.

“The capital punishment for kidnapping is death. Some of these kidnappers are caught, yet we don’t hear anything. If you ask me, there should be a dedicated channel — like BBNaija — showing these criminals being caught and publicly executed. Until we start enforcing consequences, we won’t see results,” he said.

He went on to draw a comparison with China, noting that the Asian country’s strict penalties for kidnapping and corruption have helped maintain order.

“We want to be like China, but we don’t have the courage China has. The punishment for kidnapping and corruption there is death,” he added.

Uchemba’s comments have since sparked mixed reactions online. While some Nigerians agreed that tough measures are necessary to deter crime, others argued that public executions could lead to human rights violations and misuse of power.

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