House passes Anti-Terrorism Bill
ABUJA—THE House of Representatives, yesterday, passed the Anti-Terrorism Bill 2011. The bill seeks to provide measures for the prevention, prohibition and combating of acts of terrorism as well as punishment for violating any of its provisions.
President Goodluck Jonathan had on three occasions appealed to the House to give the bill expeditious consideration. The bill was considered clause-by-clause and passed after the deletion of clauses 32 and 33 which provided for the establishment of a commission and a board respectively.
The House commenced consideration of the bill on February 17 .
Rep. Ita Enang, PDP-Akwa Ibom, argued that the establishment of a commission for anti-terrorism would amount to creating too many agencies, but. Rep. Shehu Matazu, PDP-Katsina, who agreed with Enang, said that the setting up of another commission would be a duplication of other security outfits.
Reps. Abdul Ningi, PDP-Bauchi, Chinyere Igwe, PDP-Rivers, Leo Ogor, PDP-Delta, and others in opposition were not enough to rally the House to delete clause 23 which provides for search without warrant. The House commenced consideration of the bill on February 17.
Meanwhile, the House has rejected a motion by Ningi on the approval given Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau to set up “Operation Rainbow.’’
The Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Oluseyi Peterin, had given approval to Jang to set up the security outfit to assist in maintaining peace in the state. But leading the debate, Ningi said that the National Assembly ought to have been carried along when the decision was taken.
