The Nigerian Senate, on Thursday, passed into law the Kidnapping & Abduction Bill which, among other things, approved 30 years jail term for anybody that colluded with an abductor.
The Upper Chamber, which did Clause by Clause consideration of the report by its committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, adopted the Clause which specified death sentence for kidnapping.
The bill was sponsored by Senator Isa Misau, APC-Bauchi Central, and read for the first time on Tuesday, May 17, 2016.
Here are 9 important things you should know about the Bill which has a total of 13 clauses
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Life Imprisonment for Kidnappers: The general provision of the bill states that anybody found guilty of holding a person(s) for ransom or illegal means would be sentenced to life imprisonment without option of fine.
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A Kidnapper is guilty of murder if his Victims dies in his Custody: If a person dies in the custody of a kidnapper, such kidnapper shall be guilty of the victim’s death.
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Life Imprisonment for Collaborators: Anyone found guilty of conspiring with a kidnapper shall be sentence to life imprisonment.(clause 1)
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Negotiating Ransom with Kidnappers is now a Crime: A person who helps negotiate or assist in negotiating ransom for the release of a kidnapped person is guilty of a crime punishable with about 30 years in prison with hard labour.
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Paying Ransom to Kidnappers is now a Crime: Anyone found guilty of paying a ransom for the release of a person(s) wrongfully kidnapped will be sentenced to imprisonment up to 20 years.
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Banks will have to Obey the Inspector General of Police on Certain Transactions: The Inspector General of Police (IG) shall have the power to instruct any bank not to give money out if such monies are connected with ransom of any wrongfully abducted person once he has the knowledge that the ransom would be paid through bank and any bank who fail to comply will be guilty and fine for N100,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years or both.
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It is now a crime to know of a Kidnapping and not report it: Regardless of any law or enactment, anyone that has a vital information about someone being kidnapped and fails to inform the necessary authorities (i.e police) shall be liable to a fine not exceeding N100,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year or both.
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In following a Ransom the Police can now listen to calls and intercept messages: Regardless of any law or enactment, the IG may order any police officer to intercept, detain and open any posted article in the course of transmission by post intercept or listen to any phone conversation, intercept any message transmitted or received by any telecommunication; or intercept or listen to any conversation by telephone if he considers it to contain information of any ransom to be paid.
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Informers are better protected: Except provided under this law, witnesses will not be permitted or obliged to disclose the name, address or any information of any informer that would lead to his discovery.
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