The National Assembly on Wednesday urged the Federal Government to publicly name and prosecute individuals financing terrorism as part of renewed efforts to tackle the country’s worsening insecurity.
The resolution followed separate debates in the Senate and House of Representatives on measures to curb the rising spate of kidnappings and violent crimes nationwide.
The Senate also moved to impose capital punishment on kidnappers and anyone who finances, enables or provides intelligence for such crimes through an amendment to the 2022 Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act. The amendment bill, sponsored by the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, seeks to classify kidnapping, hostage-taking and related offences as acts of terrorism.
Lawmakers including Adams Oshiomhole, Orji Uzor Kalu and Minority Leader Abba Moro contributed to the debate, which lasted several hours. At the end of deliberations, the Senate unanimously adopted the bill and referred it to the Committees on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, National Security and Intelligence, and Interior for further work. The committees are expected to report back within two weeks.
Leading the debate, Bamidele said the objective was to strengthen the legal framework against kidnapping by prescribing the death penalty without the option of fine. He described kidnapping as a coordinated and commercialised crime carried out by organised groups.
He noted that the crime had instilled fear in communities, disrupted education, weakened economic and agricultural activities and stretched security agencies beyond capacity.
Bamidele added that the brutality and organisation associated with kidnapping now fit the definition of terrorism, stressing that the law would also apply to informants, financiers, harbourers and logistics providers.
Senator Oshiomhole, in his contribution, faulted deradicalisation programmes for terror suspects, insisting that many return to criminal activities after rehabilitation.
