The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has called on state governors and lawmakers to prescribe capital punishment for kidnapping.

She also described as heart-rendering, the act of kidnapping innocent children who are the future of the nation.

Senator Tinubu canvassed capital punishment for kidnappers on Friday during a meeting with national women leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

She described kidnappers as cowards for majorly abducting women and children, saying that such an act is inhuman and that those indulging in it should be treated as criminals.

The First Lady in a statement issued by her Special Adviser, Media, Busola Kukoyi, was quoted as saying, “They are cowards. Our hearts bleed. I call on the state governments that once we take hold of them, they deserve capital punishments. Why can’t they take men of their size, why are they touching women and children.

“What they are doing is that they are trying to kill our future, we all know that when parents are old, we rely on our children, we see them as our investments that have not gone to a waste especially when they are successful.

“Why will you now take them from their schools? Right now, I think enough is enough. As a former lawmaker, I believe that any one of them captured deserves capital punishment.

“I believe most mothers will support me on this because we carry our children for nine months, and we cannot watch what we love to wither away.”

Senator Oluremi told the women that the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, places a strong emphasis on creating opportunities for women to thrive economically, socially, and politically.

She said, “As women, we constitute a significant portion of our society, and it is vital that our voices are heard and our contributions acknowledged. As women leaders, your role is very crucial to our nation’s development. You are the eyes and ears of the government at the grassroots. I therefore encourage you to set a robust agenda for empowerment, inclusion and welfare of women within our Party and across the Nation.”

She also celebrated the International Women’s Day with the women and all other Nigerian women for their courage, resilience and doggedness.

Senator Oluremi said, “On my part, the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) was established to focus on championing women’s causes and implementing various programmes and initiatives nationwide with our motto, which states, “towards a better life for families.

“Accelerating progress in any endeavour requires that women have to be more involved, that is why I see investing in women, not as charity, but a crucial strategy to build the future of our dear nation, Nigeria.

“Empowering women with education, resources and opportunities to unlock their full potential, such as, supporting women’s businesses, investing in women’s health, agricultural programmes for women, and creating pathways for women in science and technology will help in dismantling economic and social barriers that women face.

“Therefore, my charge to you all is to be each other’s keeper, let us all come together, bond and love one another. Each of you should commit to pull a sister up, one at a time. You will all be amazed at what we can achieve collectively.’’

Earlier, the group, led by its National Women Leader, Dr Mary Idele Alile, her Deputy, Hajia Zainab Ibrahim and members of the Executive, thanked the First Lady for her impacts on the lives of Nigerians through her various interventions on the platform of the Renewed Hope Initiative, RHI.

The group also requested Senator Oluremi Tinubu to help them press for more inclusion in the activities of the current government.

“We highlight the remarkable achievement of the RHI spearheaded by our first lady across the country; the RHI has brought about transformative change through various programme which include the Elderly Support Scheme, National Scholarship Programme, Women in Agric Support Programme and many others.”