The Senate has commenced the process of amending the nation’s Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act as lawmakers passed the amendment bill through first reading during plenary today.

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The bill sponsored by the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, followed resolutions reached just 24 hours earlier when senators, during a heated debate on national insecurity, agreed on the need to classify kidnapping as terrorism punishable by the death penalty.

The introduction of the amendment bill is expected to commence the process of altering the legal framework to impose harsher penalties on kidnappers amid rising security concerns across the country.

Safe School Initiative

Meanwhile, the Senate has constituted an 18-member ad hoc committee to investigate the implementation of the Safe School Initiative, appointing Senator Orji Kalu as Chairman.

Other members of the committee include Senators Tony Nwoye, Yemi Adaramodu, Harry Ipalibo, Ede Dafinone, Mustapha Saliu, Diket Plang, Binus Yaroe, Kaka Shehu, and Musa Garba Maidoki, among others.

The constitution of the committee followed a recent resolution where lawmakers demanded a thorough investigation into the programme.

Senators had questioned how funds allocated to the initiative have been utilised, given the continued attacks on educational institutions across the country.

Their concerns intensified after the deadly raid on the Government Comprehensive Girls Secondary School, Maga, Kebbi State, where gunmen killed the vice principal and reportedly abducted 25 students.

The debate leading to the committee’s formation was amplified by additional prayers raised by Senator Adams Oshiomhole.

The ad hoc committee has been mandated to conduct a thorough investigation and report back to the Senate within four weeks.

Insecurity

The Senate’s resolution is in the wake of the security concerns in different parts of the country, following recent fatal attacks by bandits.

Last week, gunmen attacked the St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools, Papiri, in Niger State, abducting over 300 schoolchildren and teachers.

Attacks and abductions were also reported in Kwara, Kano, and Borno states.

President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday, declared a nationwide security emergency and ordered additional recruitment into the Nigerian Armed Forces and the police force.

Tinubu authorised the security agency to use various National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) camps as training depots.

According to him, the officers being withdrawn from VIP guard duties should undergo “crash training” to debrief them and deliver more efficient police services when deployed to security-challenged areas of the country.

The President also authorised the Department of State Services (DSS) to immediately deploy all the forest guards already trained to flush out the terrorists and bandits lurking in our forests.