{"id":464028,"date":"2011-07-19T12:15:14","date_gmt":"2011-07-19T12:15:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/2011\/07\/19\/will-anti-terrorism-law-help-govt-secure-security\/"},"modified":"2011-07-19T12:15:14","modified_gmt":"2011-07-19T12:15:14","slug":"will-anti-terrorism-law-help-govt-secure-security","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/07\/19\/will-anti-terrorism-law-help-govt-secure-security\/","title":{"rendered":"Will Anti-Terrorism Law Help Govt Secure Security?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n
\n

\"Daily<\/a><\/p>\n

Solomon Chung<\/p>\n

16 July 2011<\/p>\n

\n

opinion<\/p>\n

The Boko Haram sect had demanded a clarification of the contents of the Anti-Terrorism Act from the National Assembly, shortly after the Force Headquarters bomb blast (see main story). A security expert, who spoke to Weekly Trust, says for an accord to be reached, the law must be followed, but with a utilization of possible grey areas which would bring about speedy resolution for the benefit of both sides. And so it was to tame a rising trend of insecurity in the country that the sixth National Assembly, in the twilight of its tenure, passed the Terrorism (Prevention) Bill, 2011 and the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Bill, 2011, which were signed into law by President Jonathan on the 2nd of June, 2011.<\/p>\n

The quick assent granted to the Anti-Terrorism Bill meant to fast-track the war against terrorism, a new thing on these shores. An appraisal of the new bills shows that they have the facility to prevent, prohibit and combat acts of terrorism if properly implemented. It is also evident that they will facilitate and promote the effective implementation of the International Convention on the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism.<\/p>\n

For example, section 2(c) of the Terrorism Bill defines ‘act of terrorism’ as: “Causing an attack upon a person’s life which may cause serious bodily harm or death; kidnapping of a person; destruction to a government or public facility, transport system, and infrastructural facility including an information system, a fixed platform located on the continental shelf, public place or private property likely to endanger human life or result in major economic loss.”<\/p>\n

The Bill also went further to explain that a person who belongs to or professes to belong to a proscribed organization that has committed an offence shall on conviction be liable to imprisonment for a maximum term of 20 years. Generally, the Bill seeks to provide a legal framework for the prevention, prohibition and combating of acts of terrorism in Nigeria as well as prescribe penalties for violating any of its provisions.<\/p>\n

However, it also outlaws actions of individuals or groups that can be likened to terrorism, including kidnapping, oil bunkering and piracy and airplane hijacks. The Bill covers possession or use of explosives as well as research into the development of explosives – including biological and chemical – without lawful authority.<\/p>\n

Some provisions of the bill, already in the public domain, give sweeping powers to security agencies to more or less do as they please. For example, the Terrorism Bill allows a security officer to enter and search any place, person, or vehicle without a warrant if he has “reason to suspect” that an offense is being committed and there is evidence of a commission of an offence under the law.<\/p>\n

The officer may also search, detain, and arrest anyone if he has a “reasonable suspicion” that the person has committed or is about to commit an offence under the bill. The Director-General of State Security Service (SSS) is empowered to use communication service providers as he deems fit. The SSS boss also has the power to seize funds he suspects were obtained through acts of terrorism, they belong to a terrorist organisation, or they were intended for use to further terrorist activities.<\/p>\n

In addition, a security official has the authority to order the detention of a terrorism suspect for 48 hours without access to anyone, including his\/her attorney. The bill also exempts law enforcement officers from civil or criminal liability for the use of force “as may be necessary for any purpose” that results in injury or death to any person or damage or loss to any property. The question on many lips is, how can such excesses be neutralized where it is observed?<\/p>\n

With the law, Nigeria now joins the growing list of nations that have enacted anti-terrorism law, much to the delight of the United States that have been pushing for it since that country declared war on terrorism in the aftermath of the September 11th, 2001 bombing of the World Trade Centre in New York.<\/p>\n

Could this be a timely law against Niger-Delta militancy, Boko Haram insurgency, the spate of kidnappings across the country and the new bomb-making technology that seems to be all the rage? Only time – and events of the next few weeks – can tell.<\/p>\n

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\nWill Anti-Terrorism Law Help Govt Secure Security?<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Solomon Chung 16 July 2011 opinion The Boko Haram sect had demanded a clarification of the contents of the Anti-Terrorism Act from the National Assembly, shortly after the Force Headquarters bomb blast (see main story). A security expert, who spoke to Weekly Trust, says for an accord to be reached, the law must be followed, but with a utilization of possible grey areas which would bring about speedy resolution for the benefit of both sides. And so it was to tame a rising trend of insecurity in the country that the sixth National Assembly, in the twilight of its tenure, passed the Terrorism (Prevention) Bill, 2011 and the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Bill, 2011, which were signed into law by President Jonathan on the 2nd of June, 2011<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-464028","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\nWill Anti-Terrorism Law Help Govt Secure Security? - Ghanamma.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/07\/19\/will-anti-terrorism-law-help-govt-secure-security\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"Will Anti-Terrorism Law Help Govt Secure Security? - Ghanamma.com\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"Solomon Chung 16 July 2011 opinion The Boko Haram sect had demanded a clarification of the contents of the Anti-Terrorism Act from the National Assembly, shortly after the Force Headquarters bomb blast (see main story). 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