The Senate on Wednesday, passed the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2013 (Amendment) Bill, 2022, which made payment of ransom to kidnappers illegal in Nigeria.
It was reported that anyone caught giving ransoms to kidnappers, will face a 15-year jail term, and anyone found guilty of kidnapping, especially if the dies, will be sentenced to death.
Chairman of the Committee, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele stated in a report that the aim of the bill passage was to prohibit the payment of ransom to abductors, kidnappers and terrorists for the release of persons who had either been held captive, wrongfully confined, imprisoned or kidnapped.
Senator Bamidele said the passage of the bill will help mitigate acts of Terrorism and kidnap, as well as bar the culture of ransoms.
“It is our belief here in the Senate, that this bill, by the time signed into an Act by Mr President, will enhance the efforts of this government in the fight against terrorism, kidnapping and other associated and related vices.
“This is one piece of legislation that can turn around not only the security situation in Nigeria, but even the economic fortunes of our country.
“We have done so much as a government in terms of infrastructural development across all parts of this country but because security situation is not the kind of situation that we all want, this tends to overshadow all the tremendous and massive developments in our country.
“It is our belief that the Executive will waste no time in signing this bill into law,” he said.
kidnapping for ransom in Nigeria has become a menace as the crime continues to defy solutions while gaining more prominence due to the millions exchanged for ransoms with murderous kidnappers.
