Senate Proposes 15 Years Imprisonment For Payment Of Ransom To Kidnappers

The Senate on Wednesday proposed a 15-year jail term for persons who pay ransom to kidnappers.

The Upper Chamber of the National Assembly also insisted on an end to ransom payment by families of victims of abduction.

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The move followed the presentation of “The Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Bill, 2021,” sponsored by Senator Ezenwa Francis Onyewuchi (PDP, Imo East).

The bill also seeks to prohibit the payment and receipt of ransom for the release of any person kidnapped, imprisoned or wrongfully confined.

In his lead debate, Senator Oyewuchi raised alarm that Kidnapping has become a fast and lucrative business, adding that, “it has now remained the most virulent form of banditry in Nigeria and the most pervasive and intractable violent crime in the country.”

He said that 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.”

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According to him, “kidnapping is on the increase in Nigeria and it is prevalent across all the geopolitical zones. .

He cited a l Financial Times report and the USA Global Risk Consultancy report published in November, 2019, which pointed out that Nigeria has the highest rate of kidnaps for ransom of both locals and foreigners in all of Africa with kidnappers operating in each of its 36 states.

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”, Onyewuchi pointed.

The Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Bill, 2021, 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.

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The Committee which is chaired by Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele is expected to report back in four weeks.

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