The Senate has passed a bill seeking to amend the Terrorism
(Prevention) Act, 2013, and prohibit the payment of ransom to kidnappers in
Nigeria.
The passage of the bill followed the consideration of a
report by the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters.
The bill was laid by the Committee’s Chairman, Senator
Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central), before consideration.
Bamidele, in his presentation, said the bill sought to
outlaw the payment of ransom to abductors, kidnappers and terrorists for the
release of any person who has been wrongfully confined, imprisoned or
kidnapped.
According to the lawmaker, “the overall import of this bill
is to discourage the rising spate of kidnapping and abduction for ransom In
Nigeria, which is fast spreading across the country.”
He disclosed that in the memoranda presented to the
Committee, a plethora of issues relating to the subject matter of terrorism and
terrorism financing in line with global best practices were raised.
He assured that the amendment to the Terrorism Act would set
standards and regulatory system intended to prevent terrorist groups from
laundering money through the banking system and other financial networks.
He added that “having policies in place to combat financing
of terrorism will surely reduce or eliminate privacy and anonymity in financial
and other sundry transactions as it relates to the subject in our society.”
He explained further that the need to comprehensively review
the Terrorism Prevention Act arose from the unfavourable ratings of Financial
Act Task Force (FATF) recommendations of Nigeria’s Mutual Evaluation Report and
consequent placement of Nigeria in FATF’S International Cooperation and Review
Group Process with its impending sanctions on Nigeria’s economy.
He said the National Task Force on improving Nigeria’s
Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT)
regime in Nigeria, proposed the improvement of the Act, to address the
deficiencies noted in its provisions and to align with the required standard as
obtainable in other jurisdictions.
He emphasised that the proposed repeal and enactment Bill
was geared towards improving the effectiveness of countermeasures against
terrorism, terrorism financing and proliferation financing.
The lawmaker noted that the repeal is aimed at providing an
adequate framework for improved international collaboration, inter-agency
cooperation and freezing of terrorist funds/assets.
Bamidele said, “the passage of this Bill will save Nigeria
from being included among countries in the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)
Grey List with its attendant negative consequences, which might ultimately
result in international sanctions that would affect the image of the country in
the comity of nations.”
The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, in his remarks after the
bill was passed, said the bill would complement the federal government’s
efforts in the fight against insecurity when signed into law by the President.
He said, “It is our belief here in the Senate, that this
bill, by the time signed into an Act by Mr. President, will enhance the efforts
of this government in the fight against terrorism, kidnapping, and other
associated and related vices.
“This is one piece of legislation that can turn around not
only the security situation in Nigeria but even the economic fortunes of our
country.
“We have done so much as a government, in terms of
infrastructural development across all parts of this country, but because the
security situation is not the kind of situation that we all want, this tends to
overshadow all the tremendous and massive developments in our country.
“I believe that the Executive will waste no time in signing
this bill into law, and it is our hope that this additional piece of
legislation will achieve the purpose for which it has been worked upon by the
Senate, and, indeed, the National Assembly and, for the reason for which it
would also be signed by Mr. President.
“Let me make it very clear here, that the fight against
insecurity, whether it is kidnapping, terrorism or whatsoever, is not the sole
role of a government.
“The contribution and support by citizens are essential
because our security agencies need vital and critical information against
terrorism and other things that make life difficult for us.”
The bill was passed by the chamber after it scaled third
reading on the floor.
The Senate, thereafter, adjourned plenary session till May
10, 2022, for the Sallah break.
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