Don’t defend bandits, kidnappers in court, Islamic cleric tells lawyers

An Ondo State-based Islamic cleric and founder of At-Tanzil Foundation, Sheikh AbdulRauf Lagbaji, has appealed to legal practitioners not to represent or serve as defence counsel for individuals involved in banditry and kidnapping, insisting that such criminals deserve no sympathy.

Lagbaji made the call during a lecture delivered at the Ashura Day celebration organised by the Muslim Media Practitioners of Nigeria (MMPN), Ondo State chapter, in Akure on Friday.

Speaking on the theme, “Ashura: Navigating Peaceful Pathways Amidst Hostilities: What Are the Practical Relevance in Contemporary Nigeria”, the cleric also urged the government to amend relevant constitutional provisions to ensure that anyone found guilty of banditry, kidnapping, and similar violent crimes faces immediate execution.

According to him, governments at all levels must stop showing leniency towards convicted criminals, warning that reintegrating them into society could worsen insecurity across the country.

The cleric appealed to lawyers not to represent or serve as defence counsel for anyone involved in banditry or kidnapping. He further urged the government to review the Constitution so that anyone found guilty of such crimes would face immediate execution.

Lagbaji stressed that the government should not hesitate to apply the death penalty to those convicted of heinous crimes, particularly the perpetrators of the Owo Church massacre.

“It is time for our government to execute any bandit or kidnapper found guilty because the Qur’an makes it clear that whoever knowingly kills another person should also be put to death.

“In Islam, Diya (blood money) for a person killed is equivalent to 100 camels, which is about N200 million per person. Therefore, our religion does not permit the pampering of anyone who kills,” he said.

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