The Nigerian Senate on Tuesday passed a bill that seeks to amend the Terrorism (Prevention) Act, 2013, and prohibit the payment of ransom to kidnappers in the country.
The passage of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2013 (Amendment) Bill, 2022, followed the consideration of a report by the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, and Legal Matters.
The report was laid by the Committee’s Chairman, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central), before consideration.
Bamidele declared that the bill seeks 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.
He said, “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, the various issues relating to the subject matter of terrorism and terrorism financing in line with global best practices were raised.
Bamidele gave the assurance that 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.
According to him, “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.”
This amendment comes on the heels of rising cases of kidnapping across the length and breadth of Nigeria. Currently, several Nigerians who were kidnapped aboard an Abuja-Kaduna train are still in the camp of their kidnappers. Several photos of the victims released by the bandits are currently trending on social media.
While reports say the government has refused to negotiate with the kidnappers, families of the victims say they are ready for such negotiations.
The Ekiti State Senator further explained that the need to comprehensively review the Terrorism Prevention Act came the unfavorable 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.
According to him, 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.
Commenting on the passage of the amendment bill, Senate Ahmad Lawan, said the bill would complement the federal government’s efforts in the fight against insecurity when signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari.
“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,” Lawan said.