Williams Uchemba Demands Death Penalty For Kidnappers As Insecurity Worsens In Nigeria

Actor and filmmaker Williams Uchemba has called for the execution of kidnappers as a way to address Nigeria’s worsening insecurity crisis.

In a passionate video shared on his social media page, the Nollywood star expressed frustration over the government’s failure to enforce existing laws, saying that only strict punishment can deter criminals.

Using an analogy, Uchemba compared the country’s tolerance for criminal behavior to a mother who refuses to discipline her child for stealing meat from the pot, warning that such leniency only nurtures hardened criminals.

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

He argued that Nigeria’s constitution already prescribes death as the penalty for kidnapping, yet many offenders escape without facing consequences.

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

Uchemba further compared Nigeria’s justice system to China’s, where corruption and kidnapping attract the death penalty.

“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.

His remarks have since sparked debate across social media. While some Nigerians supported his call for tougher laws to deter crime, others warned that such measures could lead to abuse of power and wrongful executions.

Uchemba’s statement adds to growing public frustration over the surge in kidnapping incidents nationwide and the slow response of authorities in bringing perpetrators to justice.

Actor Williams Uchemba calls for public execution of kidnappers pic.twitter.com/swiC2XHymp

— kolaqhazim (@Kolaqhazim) October 24, 2025