Burkina Faso’s parliament has voted unanimously to reinstate the death penalty for crimes including terrorism, espionage and treason, ending the country’s abolition of capital punishment for ordinary crimes in 2018.

All 71 members of the West African country’s transitional legislature supported the revised penal code on Tuesday, October 20, following its presentation by Justice Minister Edasso Rodrigue Bayala, according to the Associated Press.

The decision restores capital punishment nearly four decades after the country’s last known execution, which took place in 1988, according to Human Rights Watch.

The military-led government’s Council of Ministers approved a bill to restore the death penalty in December 2025, prompting criticism from international human rights organisations.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch warned that the move could threaten fundamental rights and be used to suppress critics of the authorities.

Burkina Faso’s military government has previously faced allegations of detaining journalists, human rights defenders and other perceived opponents. The authorities also dissolved political parties earlier in 2026 and repealed the laws governing their activities.

The reinstatement comes as the country continues to battle an armed insurgency involving militant groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group. The violence has killed thousands of people and displaced millions across Burkina Faso and the wider Sahel region.

The government has presented the tougher penal code as part of its response to the security crisis. Bayala had indicated in 2024 that the death penalty would be included in a revised criminal code.

According to Reuters, the revised code also provides for capital punishment in cases involving the importation of expired or prohibited products that result in death, although the precise scope and implementation of the new provisions will depend on the final legal text.

Human rights organisations have questioned whether restoring the death penalty will improve security, warning that it could deepen repression and create additional risks for people accused of offences.

Human Rights Watch previously said the proposed change could intensify a climate of fear and send a chilling message to critics of the military authorities.

The country’s security forces have also faced allegations of serious abuses during counterinsurgency operations. Human Rights Watch reported this year that government forces killed more than twice as many civilians as jihadist fighters between 2023 and 2025.

Armed groups, including Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, an al-Qaida-linked organisation, have also been accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity by rights groups.

Burkina Faso, a landlocked country with a population of about 23 million, has been governed by military authorities since a coup in 2022. The junta has repeatedly delayed a return to civilian rule as it seeks to contain the insurgency.

The parliamentary vote marks a significant change in the country’s criminal justice policy. Burkina Faso abolished the death penalty for ordinary crimes in 2018 under former President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, although the last known execution had taken place decades earlier.

The decision is likely to renew scrutiny of the country’s human rights record as authorities pursue their security campaign against armed groups.

(APNews)

A seven-year-old boy, Abdullahi Rabi’u, has been found dead hours after suspected kidnappers abducted him in the Majema area, along Ring Road in Jos North Local Council of Plateau State and demanded a N2.5million ransom.

The boy was reportedly abducted on Monday evening after being sent on an errand to a neighbour’s house.

Narrating the incident, his uncle, Sukairaj Danladi Me Gado, said Abdullahi delivered the message but failed to return home, prompting the family to search for him.

He said their efforts to locate the boy proved unsuccessful until Tuesday morning, when the family received a call from an unidentified number.

According to him, the caller demanded N2.5million as ransom and informed the family that the boy had been kidnapped.

Me Gado said the family had agreed to pay the ransom in the hope of securing the child’s release.

However, their hopes were shattered later on Tuesday when they learnt that his body had been found in a narrow passage near their residence.

The discovery plunged the family and residents of the neighbourhood into mourning.

The grieving uncle expressed sorrow over the killing and alleged that the perpetrators might be familiar with the neighbourhood.

He called on security agencies to investigate the incident, apprehend those responsible and ensure they were brought to justice.

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has announced plans to introduce a government-backed bulk food purchase scheme to reduce the cost of essential commodities, while promising to expand the state’s mass transit fleet to ease transportation challenges facing workers and other residents.

Abiodun disclosed this during a stakeholders’ meeting with organised labour representatives from the Ijebu axis in Ijebu-Ode, where he reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to workers’ welfare and policies aimed at improving the living conditions of residents.

The proposed bulk purchase scheme, which will be implemented through the planned Gateway Trading Corporation, is designed to enable residents to access essential food items and household commodities at more affordable prices through government-supported purchasing arrangements.

The governor said the initiative was conceived in response to the rising cost of living and followed a suggestion by the state Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Hameed Ademola-Benco.

He explained that bulk purchasing would enable the government to negotiate more favourable prices for essential commodities, thereby providing economic relief to households facing rising food costs.

According to him, the initiative could also stimulate competition in the open market, as traders may be encouraged to review their prices in response to the availability of essential goods at lower rates through the government-backed platform.

Abiodun assured the labour leaders that his administration would work towards making the scheme operational, stressing that government policies must address the practical economic challenges confronting workers and other residents.

On transportation, the governor promised to increase the number of mass transit buses available to government workers and members of the public.

He said the planned expansion was in response to concerns raised by organised labour over the need for more buses to ease daily commuting, reduce transportation costs and improve the movement of workers and residents across the state.

Abiodun explained that improving public transportation remained an important part of efforts to enhance workers’ welfare and reduce the financial pressures associated with daily travel.

The governor also addressed concerns raised by the labour representatives over leave allowance and the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), assuring them that the issues were receiving the necessary attention.

On education, Abiodun described teachers as indispensable to the growth and development of Ogun State, noting that their responsibilities extended beyond classroom instruction to character formation, discipline and the preparation of young people for responsible leadership.

He said the quality of education in any society depended largely on the competence and commitment of its teachers, adding that their influence played a significant role in shaping the future of individuals and the nation.

Reflecting on his personal experience, the governor said quality teaching and proper upbringing had helped shape his values and contributed to his journey in life.

He disclosed that his administration had constructed and renovated about 1,600 classrooms, employed hundreds of teachers over the past seven years and introduced reforms aimed at improving teaching and learning in public schools.

Abiodun commended Ogun teachers for their performance, which he said had earned them recognition and awards at national and international levels.

He also applauded students from the state for their achievements in academic competitions and educational assessments, describing their performance as a reflection of the efforts of the government, teachers, parents and other stakeholders to sustain high educational standards.

The governor said the meeting was convened to appreciate organised labour for its support since the inception of his administration and to provide an opportunity for constructive engagement on issues affecting workers and the wider public.

He commended the labour leaders for their contributions and suggestions, stressing that regular consultations with stakeholders were essential to developing policies that addressed the needs of the people.

In their separate remarks, the Ogun State NLC Chairman, Comrade Hameed Ademola-Benco; the state Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Akeem Lasisi; and the state Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Sewakanu Noah, alongside other labour leaders, commended the governor for what they described as development across various sectors of the state.

The labour leaders acknowledged the administration’s payment of salaries and allowances, regular promotions and settlement of outstanding gratuities and pensions.

They, however, called for a review of the Contributory Pension Scheme, the establishment of a Ministry of Labour Affairs and increased subventions to tertiary institutions.

The labour leaders also pledged their support for candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections, expressing confidence in the party’s leadership.

They said they needed “someone who will serve with dignity, beautiful at heart and beautiful in character.”