WorldStage– The Federal Government of Nigeria has affirmed its commitment to the speedy prosecution of individuals involved in kidnapping, banditry, and terrorism to help reduce the rate of criminality in the nation.
This commitment was announced by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), who emphasized that the government is prioritizing the timely prosecution of suspects involved in violent crimes over prolonged detention or sole reliance on military operations.
This’s coming at heels of the House of Representatives’ recent advocate for the creation of a special court dedicated to handling cases of terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping to speed up trials and ensure specialized handling of these complex security cases.
The Senate too is currently debating a bill to amend the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, which would classify kidnapping and related offenses as acts of terrorism and prescribe the death penalty for convicted offenders and their financiers.
The Ministry of Interior is also reportedly working closely with the Office of the Attorney General to bridge the gap in the time frame for inmates’ convictions and decongest correctional centers, where a large number of inmates are awaiting trial.
The new Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa, has vowed that the government will not negotiate or pay ransoms to terrorists and bandits, advocating instead for faster trials and stricter penalties.
The government claimed that prompt trial of the suspected criminals by courts would help the country reduce the rate of criminality in all parts of the country.
