Senate want Nigerians jailed 15 years for paying ransom

The bill to slam any Nigerian in prison for paying terrorists and bandits ransoms has passed a second-reading on the floor of the Senate.

Titled “Terrorism Prevention Bill (amendment) Bill, 2021, the bill seek to jail offenders and accomplices for 15 years.

Leading the debate, Sen.  Francis Onyewuchi said the bill was read for the first time on March 10, saying that it sought to substitute Section 14 of the Principal Act a new section to read.

According to the proposed legislation: 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 hostage taking or Kidnapping has become a fast and lucrative business in Nigeria. It has now remained the most virulent form of banditry in Nigeria and the most pervasive and intractable violent crime in the country.

“Kidnapping is on the increase in Nigeria and it is prevalent across all the geopolitical zones.

“Some blame the rise of this criminal activity on poverty, religion, politics, deficiency of existing laws, unemployment, connivance of security agents, corruption, and greed among others.”

He, therefore, urged the federal government to provide adequate security, strengthen the economy and focus more on youth.