Reps Consider Bill Seeking To Jail Families Of Kidnap Victims Who Pay Ransom Without Govt Approval

www.tracknews.ng reports that the bill under consideration is titled: ‘Control of Small Arms, Light Weapons and Restitution of Victims of Abduction, Kidnappings, Banditry Bill, 2022’.

The 25-page bill, which seeks to tackle the menace of small arms, light weapons in the country and curb the issue of kidnapping and banditry, passed first reading at the Green Chamber on Tuesday.

The proposed legislation is sponsored by Hon. Tajudeen Adefisoye, a lawmaker representing Idanre/Ifedore Federal Constituency in the National Assembly and a member of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

The bill seeks to “jail families who pay ransom for the rescue of victims without the consent, guidance and approval of the centre first sought and obtained”, otherwise, such person “shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not less than 5 years or fine of five million naira”

Also, the bill seeks restitution for “victims of acts of abduction, kidnapping and banditry in Nigeria from the amounts of monies or properties of the offender(s) forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria whether or not the monies or properties are proceeds of the crime committed”.

The bill also seeks to give legal backing to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NACCSALW) established in May 2021 and will be under the office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

The bill also seeks to facilitate the prosecution of kidnap cases by the establishment of a special court.

SECTION OF THE BILL

Section 11 (1) of the proposed bill states that any person “who without lawful order, permission or authority possesses, uses or causes to be used any small arms or light weapons commits an offence and shall be liable on conviction to life imprisonment”, while subsection 2(a) of the same section proposes 20 years jail term for persons who deal illegally in small arms or light weapons.

Section 11 (5) proposes that “a person who for the time acting as parent or guardian of the victim(s) of an act of abduction shall not in whatever guise pay ransom for the rescue of the victim(s) without the consent, guidance and approval of the centre first sought and obtained”, otherwise, such person “shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not less than 5 years or fine of five million naira”.

Section 3 of the bill gives the court the powers to exercise the judicial powers vested in the federal or state high courts and shall have one jurisdiction in the federal capital territory (FCT) only with at least 12 courtrooms.