Senate Moves to strengthen fight against terrorism .

*Amends Mutual legal Assistance in Criminal matters Act

Ignatius Okorocha, Abuja

Senate on Wednesday at plenary commenced the amendment of the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal matters Act of 2018 with the view to strengthen the fight against terrorism and financing in Nigeria.

The bill sponsored by senator Emmanuel Udende ,Benue North East seeks
to ensure Nigeria’s compliance with current Financial Action Task Force (FATF) recommendation on the fight against Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing.

In his lead debate, Senator Udende explained that the Act, when amended, will enable Nigeria exit the Grey List through International Country Risk Guide (ICRG) mechanism.

The amendment Bill was first read on the floor of the Senate on 5th March, 2024 seeks to amend
Section 3 of the Act “to allow Mutual Legal Assistance, if the underline offence is criminalised by both Nigeria and requesting state, regardless of whether Nigeria and the requesting state place the offence within the same category of offence or denote the offence by the same terminology, provided the conduct underline the offence as criminalised by both Nigeria and the requesting state”.
Senator Udende continued,”Section 17 is amended to improve the new subsection 5 to define without delay, within the context of Section 17 (5). For the purpose of this section, without delay means a period not more than 60 days,” .

Senator Udende while urging the Senate to expedite action on the bill said it’s early passage will provide Nigeria the opportunity to exit the Grey Listing through ICRG Mechanism.

In his contribution , senator Seriake Dickson urged the Senate to avoid concentrating so much powers in the office of the Attorney General for the Federation and requested that the Senate committees working on the final document should consider the office of the National Security Adviser to coordinate some of the security matters .