President Muhammadu Buhari has assented an extradition law consistent with extant protocols.
His Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Ita Enang, stated yesterday in Abuja that his principal also signed into law the 2018 budget of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
He said with the Extradition (Amendment) Act, 2018, “this Act vests jurisdiction on extradition proceedings now on the Federal High Court and no more the Magistrate’s Court or magistrates.”
Enang added: “The amendment further introduces a new section 15(2) preventing a double jeopardy as protected by Section 36(9) of the constitution which prevents a person surrendered to Nigeria in accordance with extraction treaty; obligation from being arrested, detained, extradited or otherwise dealt with in Nigeria or any other country within the Commonwealth or any other nation having same extraditing agreement with Nigeria.”
The presidential aide said a total of N371.532 billion was approved as the 2018 budget for the FCT.
“The Act allows aggregate capital and recurrent expenditure of N371, 532,518,887 up to the financial year ending December 31, 2018,” he stated.
Other bills sanctioned by the president were the National Environmental Standard and Regulations Enforcement Agency (Establishment) (Amendment) Act 2018, Nigerian Institute Of Mining and Geosciences, Jos (Establishment) Act 2018, and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control And Prevention (Establishment) Act 2018.
He went on: “This Act is an amendment to the 2007 Act and more succinctly defines matters of appointment to the council, empowers the agency or appropriate person to cause immediate abatement of imminent environmental pollution while appropriate warrant or court order is sought to ensure public safety, among others.”
The geosciences and mining piece of legislation establishes the institute, which provides courses of instruction, training and research in the fields as well as produces technicians and skilled personnel to man the industries in the sectors.
The disease centre law, on the other hand, is aimed at promoting, coordinating and facilitating the prevention, detection and control of communicable ailments and other public health emergencies in the country.
