The Senate on Wednesday, proposed a bill that would prohibit the payment and receipt of ransom for the release of any person kidnapped, wrongfully confined or imprisoned.
The penalty for persons who receive or make any such payment is set at 15 years.
The terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Bill, 2021 scaled second reading Wednesday and is sponsored by Senator Ezenwa Onyewuchi.
Leading the debate on the bill, Onyewuchi said that the piece of legislation seeks to amend the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2013 to outlaw the payment of ransom to kidnappers and terrorists for the release of any person wrongful confined, imprisoned or kidnapped.
In his words, “Anyone who transfers funds, makes payment or concludes with an abductor, kidnapper or terrorist to receives any ransom for the release of any person who has been wrongfully confined, imprisoned or kidnapped is guilty of felony and is liable on conviction to a term of imprisonment of not less than 15 years.”
He regretted that kidnapping is fast becoming a lucrative business saying, “It has now remained the most virulent form of banditry in Nigeria and the most pervasive an interactive violent crime in the country.
Speaking further, the lawmaker said that, “Kidnapping is on the increase in Nigeria and it is prevalent across all political 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.
“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.”
Onyewuchi added 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 when ransom is proven to have been paid, the life or safe return of a kidnap victims may not be guaranteed.”