Gov Seriake threatens to sign the death warrants of convicted kidnappers

Governor of Bayelsa state, Seriake Dickson, has said that he considers signing the death warrant for convicted kidnappers to get the ultimate sentence to serve as a deterrent to others of like minds.

The governor who expressed worried over the rising cases of kidnapping in the state by criminals who he says were given arms by the opposition during the last general election.

Among the kidnappers convicted are those who were found guilty by the state High Court for the kidnap and death of Pa Benson Esinte Adigo, 87, uncle of former governor Timipre Sylva.

The governor made it known that he considers signing the many death sentences to send a message that Bayelsa State government, under his watch, would not tolerate kidnappers.

“I want to use this opportunity to call on the young men who are into this nefarious act to stop it in their own interest. In this state, no matter how long it takes, if you kidnap someone, we will catch you.

“There are so many convicts whose death warrants are on my table waiting to be signed. “Anyhow you run, we will catch you.

“Those who kidnapped Sylva’s uncle, an old man, Chief Adigio, I think, he even died in their custody. So callous, so cruel.

“They have been convicted and sentenced to death. So, people should be careful. No matter how long. We will catch you. And you will pay the supreme price.

“If you go to prison, you have so many of them in Okaka. Violent criminals all arrested. In this state, the system we have set up, you may succeed in kidnapping somebody but you may not get away with it because we will get you very shortly.

“I want to call on those young men who are into that to desist and allow other people to come out and see how you can be a useful member of our community.

“There are ways we can support and rehabilitate you. We can talk about that. How to rehabilitate you but this idea of kidnapping old men and women and taking them to the forest to ask for money; nobody has millions and millions to pay anybody.

“And for me, you know I have a policy of not paying. Even when my late mother was kidnaped, I never paid. And in certain cases, I shall waste no time in signing the death warrant for their execution,” he said.