Any Nigerian who pays ransom to kidnappers would be jailed for at least 15 years, the Senate has proposed in a new bill on Wednesday.
The Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Bill, 2021, which scaled second reading, seeks to prohibit the payment and receipt of ransom for the release of any person kidnapped, imprisoned or wrongfully confined.
Leading the debate during the plenary, the sponsor of the bill, Senator Ezenwa Francis Onyewuchi, the legislation seeks to amend the Terrorism (Prevention) Act, 2013 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 bill essentially seeks to substitute for section 14 of the Principal Act a new section to read: “Anyone who transfers funds, makes payment or colludes with an abductor, kidnapper or terrorist to receive any ransom for the release of any person who has been wrongfully confined, imprisoned or kidnapped is guilty of a felony and is liable on conviction to a term of imprisonment of not less than 15 years.”
He said kidnapping “has now remained the most virulent form of banditry in Nigeria and the most pervasive and intractable violent crime in the country.”
He said “the reason behind payments of ransom is rooted on the fact that people easily identify with individual suffering.
“However, history has shown that even where ransom is proven to have been paid, the life or safe return of a kidnap victim may not be guaranteed.”
He observed that countries like the USA and the United Kingdom do not support payment of ransoms to kidnappers.
“Payments of terrorist ransoms is illegal under the UK Terrorism Act 2000 while the USA adheres to a strict No-Concessions policy on the payment of ransom,” he said.
He said the “the continuous payment of ransom must not be encouraged, in addition government should provide adequate security and strengthen the economy as a matter of urgency, accelerate its poverty alleviation programs, provide employment opportunities targeting youths who are mostly involved in abductions and kidnappings, strengthen our law enforcement agencies, and provide the necessary support to end the menace of kidnapping.”
The bill, after scaling second reading, was referred by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, to the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters for further legislative work.
The committee which is chaired by Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele is expected to report back in four weeks.
