Senate Advances Bill to Enhance Anti-Terrorism Efforts in Nigeria

The Nigerian Senate has initiated legislative procedures to bolster the fight against terrorism and its financing in the country by amending the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Act, 2018.

The Senate passed the bill for the second reading, signaling progress in the legislative process.

The bill, championed by Senator Emmanuel Udende (APC Benue North East), aims to ensure Nigeria’s compliance with the current recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) regarding the combat against money laundering and terrorism financing.

Senator Udende, presenting the lead debate, explained that amending the Act would enable Nigeria to exit the Grey List through the International Country Risk Guide (ICRG) mechanism.

He elaborated that the proposed amendments would allow for mutual legal assistance if the underlying offense is criminalized by both Nigeria and the requesting state, regardless of whether they categorize the offense similarly or use the same terminology, as long as the conduct underlying the offense is criminalized by both parties.

Senator Udende emphasized that the amendment also includes a provision to define “without delay” within the context of the Act, specifying it as a period not exceeding 60 days.

Senator Udende urged the Senate to expedite the bill’s passage, stating that its early enactment would enable Nigeria to exit the Grey List through the ICRG mechanism.

In his contribution, Senator Seriake Dickson (PDP Bayelsa West) cautioned against centralizing too much power in the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).

He suggested that the Senate committees working on the final document should consider involving the Office of the National Security Adviser in coordinating some security matters.

Similarly, Senator Mohammed Monguno (APC Borno North) supported the bill, highlighting its importance in aligning Nigeria’s terrorism prevention and prohibition measures with international best practices.

He emphasized the necessity of amending Nigeria’s rules, particularly as terrorism evolves with technology, and noted that the amendment would empower the AGF to designate entities or individuals as terrorists.