The Senate has introduced a Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Bill, 2021 aimed towards preventing the payment and receipt of ransom for the release of any person kidnapped, imprisoned or wrongfully confined.
According to newsmen, payment of ransom to kidnappers/terrorists for the release of any person who has been wrongfully confined, imprisoned or kidnapped would attract a jail term of punishment of a 15-year and the same punishment applies to kidnappers who receive any ransom.
The Bill (a proposed amendment of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act, 2013) was sponsored by Senator Ezenwa Francis Onyewuchi and has scaled through the second reading during Wednesday’s plenary.
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According to Onyewuchi, 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.”
“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.
“Our unemployed youths are also turning out to kidnapping to get money (ransom) as a survival strategy.
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“Whatever the reason, it is most obvious that kidnapping in Nigeria puts everyone at risk, the rich and the poor, old and young, male and female, foreigner or indigene, expatriate or non-expatriate, traditional rulers and religious leaders, among others.”
Speaking further, the senator revealed that “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 emphasised that “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”.
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