Senate Sanctions Death Penalty For Terrorists

The Senate last Wednesday unanimously prescribed death penalty for any person found guilty of engaging in acts of terrorism in the country.

It also prescribed a maximum of life imprisonment for any person or corporate bodies living within or outside Nigeria that facilitated the activities of persons or organisations engaged in acts of terrorism.

This followed the Senate’s adoption of the report of the Conference Committee on a Bill for an Act to amend the Terrorism (Prevention) Act, 2011.

Our correspondent  recalls that the bill was passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on October 11, 2012 and October17, 2012, respectively.

It would be recalled that a conference committee, comprising legislators from both chambers, was constituted in October 2012 to reconcile the differences noticed in the two versions of the bill.

New amendments to Section 17 of the Act, gave a clear distinction between “an act of terrorism” and “an act of conspiracy’’, and stipulated imprisonment for a term of not less than 20 years for the later.

The new amendment stipulated that the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) shall be the coordinating body for all security and enforcement agencies.

The amendment saddled the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) with the responsibility to ensure conformity of Nigeria’s counter-terrorism laws and policies with international standards and United Nations conventions on Terrorism.

The AGF would also maintain international cooperation required for preventing and combating international acts of terrorism.

The Anti-Terrorism Act gives law enforcement agencies greater powers to detain and prosecute suspects and provides judges more guidance on handing down punishments.

Under the act, the police and other security forces were vested with the powers to seal off a property or vehicle without search warrant

Our correspondent reports that no less than 1,000 people, especially in the Northern part of the country, had been killed in sectarian violence and insurgency by the Boko Haram sect.

Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Mr George Feyii,(right), congratulating Chairman, Rivers Hospitals Management Board, Dr Omboye Pax-Harry, during the inauguration of the board in Port Harcourt last Wednesday.