Senate President
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that the Senate has passed a bill to alter the Terrorism (Prevention) Act of 2013, which will make it illegal in Nigeria to pay ransom to kidnappers.
The Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2013 (Amendment) Bill, 2022, was passed after the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, and Legal Matters considered a report.
Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central), the Committee’s Chairman, placed the report before the Committee for deliberation.
In his presentation, Bamidele stated that the measure aims to prohibit the payment of ransom to kidnappers, abductors, and terrorists in exchange for the release of anyone who has been unfairly detained, imprisoned, or kidnapped.
“The general import of this bill,” according to the legislator, “is to discourage the escalating incidence of kidnapping and abduction for ransom in Nigeria, which is rapidly expanding across the country.”
He said that a slew of issues connected to terrorism and terrorism finance, as well as worldwide best practices, were mentioned in the memoranda given before the Committee.
He promised that the Terrorism Act amendment will establish standards and a regulatory structure to prevent terrorist organisations from laundering money through banks 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 stated that the National Task Force on improving Nigeria’s Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) regime in Nigeria proposed improvement on the Act in order to address the deficiencies noted in its provisions so as to align with the required standard as obtainable in other jurisdictions.
He emphasised that the proposed repeal and enactment Bill was geared toward 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 that “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.”
FURTHER READING
The bill to stop the payment of ransom to kidnappers was passed by the chamber after it scaled third reading on the floor.
The Senate, thereafter, adjourned the plenary session till May 10, 2022, for the Sallah break.
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