Amid the escalating security issues in some parts of the country, the Upper and Lower Houses of the National Assembly have called on the Federal Government to name and prosecute terrorism financiers in Nigeria.
This is as the Federal Government explores measures to address the growing insecurity across the country.
New Telegraph reports that both the Senate and House of Representatives pushed for the exposure of terrorism financiers during their plenary sessions as a way of addressing the security crisis facing the country.
The Senate also demanded capital punishment for kidnappers — and anyone who finances, enables or provides information to them — as lawmakers debated amendments to the 2022 Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act.
The proposal, sponsored by the Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele, seeks to classify kidnapping, hostage-taking and related crimes as terrorism, giving security agencies wider powers to track, disrupt and prosecute criminal networks across the country.
The debate dominated Wednesday’s plenary, drawing contributions from key senators including Adams Oshiomhole, Orji Uzor Kalu and Minority Leader Abba Moro.
After hours of deliberation, the Senate unanimously approved the amendment bill for further legislative work and referred it to the Committees on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters (lead committee), National Security and Intelligence, and Interior.
The committees are expected to report back within two weeks.
Leading the debate on the bill, Bamidele said the purpose was to “designate kidnapping, hostage-taking and related offences as acts of terrorism and prescribe the death penalty for such offences without option of fine or alternative sentence.”
He warned that kidnapping had evolved into “coordinated, commercialised and militarised acts of violence perpetrated by organised criminal groups.”
“Kidnapping has instilled widespread fear in communities; undermined national economic activities and agricultural output; interrupted children’s education; bankrupted families forced to pay ransom; overstretched our security forces, and claimed countless innocent lives,” the Senate leader lamented.
According to him, the patterns of brutality associated with kidnapping “now carry all the characteristics of terrorism,” making it necessary to treat the offence under the counter-terrorism framework.
Bamidele added that the bill would empower security agencies with “broader operational authority, intelligence capabilities, and prosecutorial tools” to pursue terrorists and their enablers.
He stressed that the death penalty would apply not only to kidnappers but also to “their informants, logistics providers, harbourers, transporters, and anyone who knowingly assists, facilitates, or supports kidnapping operations,” adding that “attempt, conspiracy or incitement to kidnap attracts the same penalty.”
“Nigerians are kidnapped on highways, in schools, in homes, on farms and in markets,” he said. “This is not a mere crime. It is terrorism in its purest form.”
Backing the amendment, Oshiomhole criticised deradicalisation programmes for terror suspects, arguing that many offenders returned to crime.
“We should not continue with deradicalisation programmes again,” he said. “No more de-radicalisation. If you are caught and convicted for acts of terrorism, then the penalty should be death.”
Kalu also supported the bill, insisting that informants and sponsors of kidnappers must “face the consequence.”
“Nigerians have suffered at the hands of kidnappers. Young girls have been raped. Women have become widows for no reason. This must not continue again,” he said.
Senate Minority Leader Moro described the bill as “a unanimous decision of the Senate,” noting that it was necessary to impose capital punishment “with the hope that kidnappers will face the penalty.”
Senator Victor Umeh, in his contribution, condemned the rising trend of abductions and the killing of victims even after ransom payments. He said financial institutions aiding such crimes must also be scrutinised.
Last week, the Senate took a similarly tough stance as it debated a motion following the November 18 attack on Christ Apostolic Church, Eruku, in Ekiti LGA of Kwara State, where gunmen killed two worshippers and abducted 38 others.
Although all victims were later rescued, lawmakers said the incident exposed the spread of insurgent cells into the South and worsening insecurity in rural communities.
The debate stemmed from a motion by Senator Yisa Ashiru titled ‘Urgent Need to Address Escalating Insecurity in Kwara, Kebbi, and Niger States and Strengthen National Security Frameworks.’
Senators also raised concerns over rising school abductions, which have led to shutdowns in parts of Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, and all 47 Federal Unity Colleges nationwide.
During plenary, the House of Representatives similarly called for the public naming and prosecution of terrorism financiers.
The resolution followed the consideration of its draft security report during a plenary session presided over in part by the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas and Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu.
The House had on Tuesday dedicated its entire plenary sessions to a comprehensive national debate on the rising insecurity across the country.
The development stemmed from the kidnapping of hundreds of school pupils and church worshipers in various parts of the country.
Presiding over the debate of the proposed resolutions, Kalu urged members to make meaningful contributions, stating that the resolutions reached would end up on the desk of President Bola Tinubu, who is at liberty to implement all or some of them.
One of the resolutions reached by the lawmakers was that “Financiers of terrorism, banditry and kidnapping be publicly named, sanctioned and prosecuted.”
The House also proposed that “terrorism-related prosecutions be open, expeditious and transparent.”
Similarly, they called for the establishment of a Special Court for terrorism, banditry and kidnapping, even as they sought the strengthening and enforcement of the penalties for arms trafficking and illegal possession of weapons.
Other resolutions include, “All security expenditure should be placed on ‘First Line Charge’ to guarantee predictable and timely funding, and all approved security budgets must be fully and promptly disbursed.
“That, in recognition of the established link between cash-based economies and the financing of terrorism, banditry, ransom payments and other criminal/enterprises, the House recommends a phased strengthening of cashless transaction frameworks nationwide.
Accordingly, the House urged the executive, the Central Bank of Nigeria and financial institutions to expand, upgrade and secure e-banking infrastructure, particularly in rural and underserved areas, ensure reliability, accessibility and public confidence.
“That enhanced digital payment systems, transaction monitoring mechanisms and financial crime analytics be integrated into national security operations, while ensuring that the transition remains inclusive, does not exclude vulnerable populations, and is implemented in a manner that balances security imperatives with economic realities.”
There was a long debate when Jigawa lawmaker, Abubakar Yelleman and his Borno counterpart, Ahmed Satomi, supported President Tinubu’s directive for the immediate withdrawal of police guards from Very Important Persons in the land.
According to Yelleman, “It does not make sense that one person will be going about with about 10 policemen. I think we should look into this. I think Mr President knows that the National Security and Civil Defence Corps are well-equipped. That is why he ordered the use of civil defence personnel and withdrawal of police personnel to resume their core policing duties.”
On his part, Satomi, who chairs the House Committee on National Security and Intelligence, said, “I think we should go with the President’s directive. We can strengthen the Civil Defence. What exactly protects people is intelligence gathering, not guns. If we provide police for ourselves, it would appear that we are scared of something.”
Ruling on the argument, Kalu said key national figures, including state governors and judicial officers, deserve police guards and should be protected personnel of the Nigerian Police Force.
“We are not VIPs; we are national officers. I won’t be comfortable seeing the Chief Justice of Nigeria, other Justices and governors moving around without police protection. If you give a governor immunity and take away his security, what is the essence of the immunity? “ he asked.
At the end, the House resolved that only serving national officers should be entitled to police protection.
