Abakaliki — Less than one month after Governor Martin Elechi of Ebonyi State signed into law a bill that prescribed death penalty to kidnappers in the state, a seven- -year-old nursery school pupil and son of a banker with one of the new generation banks, was Wednesday kidnapped in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital.

A witness said the kidnappers numbering three went to the banker's residence in the afternoon and knocked at the door, and while the house help emerged, they inquired of Ifeanyi, who happens to be either the younger brother to the banker or his wife.

However, the report said the house help went inside the house to inform the madam that some people were asking of Ifeanyi, and innocently she asked the house help to allow them in.

That proved a mistake as the kidnappers cum armed robbers pulled out their gun immediately they came in and ordered the woman to hand over her handset and every kobo in the house, which she complied.

As the hoodlums were about to leave the house, however, according to reports, they saw the small boy climbing up the staircase and they grabbed him and ordered the woman to surrender her car key, Mercedes 190, and they drove away with the vehicle, taking the boy along with them.

The Police Public Relations Officer of Ebonyi State Police Command, Mr. Chris Anyanwu, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), who confirmed the incident said the Mercedes 190 was later abandoned by the kidnappers on Enugu-Abakaliki Expressway near Tycoon Hotels, Abakaliki, as they entered another waiting Mercedes 190 waiting for them.

Anyanwu said he was not aware whether the kidnappers have contacted the family as at the time of filing this report.

On October 13, Ebonyi State Governor, Chief Elechi signed into Law, a Bill that provides for death penalty for kidnapping and hostage-taking in the state.

"We derive no pleasure in killing but we are in a hurry to ensure that those who deny us our basic liberties are themselves assisted to hasten their own destruction. Extra-ordinary situations demand extra-ordinary handling," Elechi said during the signing ceremony.

The death penalty came less than a week after elder statesman, Chief Chris Nwankwo, who is also the elder brother of Elechi's wife, was kidnapped and later rescued in Cross River State. This is in addition to recent kidnap of mother of Ebonyi State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman, Dave Umahi, the mother to the member representing Ohaozara/Onicha/Ivo Federal Constituency, Hon. Darlington Okereke, the wife of the State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Chief Mathias Adum ,among many others.

The new Law which was earlier passed as a bill by the State House of Assembly is entitled, "Ebonyi State Internal Security Enforcement and Related Matters Law, 2009".

The objective and purpose of the law which is deemed to have come into force on October 9, 2009 was to prohibit terrorism, kidnapping, hostage taking and use of bombs and other explosives, the governor stated. He said any person who kidnap, abduct or unlawfully detain another person would be sentenced to death.

"I will like to assure all Ebonyians that within 48 hours of the conviction of a kidnapper to death by a court of competent jurisdiction. I shall sign his executive warrant. No plea for clemency shall be entertained. Let no one therefore test our resolve. The security of our state is our destiny and we shall wedge it to our own chosen destination and not in a way criminals would want it," he said.