NIGERIA: SENATE OKAYS DEATH PENALTY FOR TERRORISTS

February 20, 2013: In Nigeria, the Senate descended heavily on terrorism perpetrators as it recommended a capital punishment for those found guilty of the act.
Considering a report on "a Bill for an Act to amend the Terrorism (prevention) Act, 2012," brought forward by its Conference Committee during plenary, the Senate in a unanimous resolution, held that there was no alternative to punishing terrorism offenders than death.
All the senators who contributed to the issue, did not spare persons or corporate bodies linked to any terrorism acts in the country as they said people knowingly in or outside Nigeria directly or indirectly and who "willingly assist, facilitate, organise or direct the activities of persons or organisations engaged in acts of terrorism are liable on conviction to maximum of life imprisonment."
The Terrorism (prevention) Act 2011 (amendment) Bill, 2012 was passed by the Senate on October 17, 2012 and in the House of Representatives on October 11, 2012 but after the development, some differences were noticed in the two versions of the Bill, prompting it to be re-submitted where the Conference Committee was constituted comprising both chambers on October, 2012 to reconcile the areas of differences, which appeared in six clauses of the Bill.
New amendments to Section 17 of the Terrorism Act, gave a clear distinction between "an act of terrorism" and "an act of conspiracy."
For the latter, an imprisonment for a term of not less than twenty years is prescribed. (Sources: allafrica.com, 20/02/2013)