THE Senate, Wednesday, descended heavily on
terrorism perpetrators as it recommended a capital punishment for those found
guilty of the act.
Considering a report on “a Bill for an Act to
amend the Terrorism (prevention) Act, 2012,” brought forward by its Conference
Committee during plenary, the Senate in a unanimous resolution, held that there
was no alternative to punishing terrorism offenders than death.
All the senators who contributed to the issue,
did not spare persons or corporate bodies linked to any terrorism acts in the
country as they said people knowingly in or outside Nigeria directly or
indirectly and who “willingly assist, facilitate, organise or direct the
activities of persons or organisations engaged in acts of terrorism are liable
on conviction to maximum of life imprisonment.”
The Terrorism (prevention) Act 2011 (amendment)
Bill, 2012 was passed by the Senate on October 17, 2012 and in the House of
Representatives on October 11, 2012 but after the development, some differences
were noticed in the two versions of the Bill, prompting it to be re-submitted
where the Conference Committee was constituted comprising both chambers on
October, 2012 to reconcile the areas of differences, which appeared in six
clauses of the Bill.
New amendments to Section 17 of the Terrorism
Act, gave a clear distinction between “an act of terrorism” and “an act of
conspiracy.”
For the latter, an imprisonment for a term of not
less than twenty years is prescribed.
A new provision (section 1A) dealing with
national co-ordinating bodies in counter terrorism designates specific
institutions and vest specific powers and functions.
In line with the new amendments, the Office of
the National Security Adviser , ONSA, shall be the co-coordinating body for all
security and enforcement agencies including the Attorney General of the
Federation ,AGF, under the Terrorism Act.
The new version of the bill stipulates that the
AGF is to ensure conformity of Nigeria’s counter-terrorism laws and policies
with international standards and United Nations conventions on Terrorism as
well as maintain international co-operation required for preventing and
combating international acts of terrorism.
The Conference Committee added a new section (30)
under clause 14 dealing with detention of conveyance. Accordingly, any person
who without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with the requirement of a
detention order or intentionally obstructs or hinders any person acting in
accordance to detention order shall on conviction be liable to a fine of
N5,000,000 or imprisonment for not less than five years.
Amendments of Section 26-29 of the prior
Terrorist Act produced a new Section 28 which allows relevant law enforcement
or security officials to detain suspected terrorist for a period not exceeding
forty-eight hours arrest without having access to any person, a medical
officer.
Anti-terrorism act, gives law enforcers greater
powers to detain and prosecute suspects and gave judges more guidance on
handing down punishments.
Also, the bill gives the police and security
forces powers to seal off a property or vehicle without a search warrant.
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