15 October 2009 :

Governor Martin Elechi of Ebonyi State in Nigeria signed into law a bill that provides for death penalty for the offence of 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."
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".
Elechi commended the state House of Assembly for expeditious passage of the bill into law.
"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 execution warrant”.