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Six days after the June 30 deadline for compliance with
international standards in the war against terrorism and money laundering, the
anti-terror bill made it through public hearing, half way to becoming law.

The bill seeks to provide for international standard measures to
combat terrorism in Nigeria. Adoption of the bill marks Nigeria’s full
compliance with the international requirements for combating terrorism,
recommended by Financial Action Task Force (FATF), established by the G7 Summit
held in Paris in 1989.

The anti-money laundering bill, a complement bill based on
similar recommendations by FATF, is already being considered for final passage
by the Senate.

According to a letter President Goodluck Jonathan wrote the
National Assembly in April to expedite action on the bill, Nigeria may be
blacklisted again by the FATF, if the bills are not passed into law by the end
of June.

The public hearing, a major milestone in law making, gives the
public an opportunity to criticise or contribute to the law. However, the
anti-terror bill hearing was attended only by a few civilians and
representatives of the police anti-terror unit, who asked to be heard in private.

David Mark, the Senate president, said the bill was not targeted
at any group, given the religious intonation given to most acts of terrorism.

“Our cultures and religions forbid the taking of lives of our
fellow human beings,” the Senate president said. “For the avoidance of doubt,
this bill is for the general interest of all Nigerians, and not targeted at any
group. Terrorism is gruesome and evil, and must not be condoned. I condemn
terrorism in its entire ramification.” Also, Nuhu Aliyu, the Senate committee
chairman on security, argued that terrorism is not a faith-based act.

“Terrorists are people without faith,” he said. “No religion
tells people to kill each other,” he said.

The Bill

The bill has five essential parts covering acts of terrorism and
related offences, terrorism funding and terrorist properties, mutual assistance
and extradition, investigation and prosecution.

The acts of terrorism covered by the bill include attacks upon a
person’s life, which may cause bodily harm or death, kidnappings, destruction
of government or public facility, or private property in manner likely to
endanger human life or result in a major economic loss.

The bill also covers seizure of aircrafts, ships, or other means
of public transport. The manufacture, possession, acquisition, transport,
supply or use of weapons, and explosives – nuclear, biological, and chemical
weapons inclusive -are also covered by the bill.

The propagation and dissemination of information in any form calculated to
cause panic, evoke violence, or intimidate a government, person, or group of
persons, also falls within the radar of terrorism the bill seeks to deal with
or prevent.