Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions, Senator Neda Imasuen, has said the proposed amendment to the Terrorism (Prevention) Act is aimed at modernising Nigeria’s counter-terrorism legal framework and strengthening the protection of citizens who provide intelligence to security agencies.
Speaking after the bill scaled second reading in the Senate, Imasuen explained that the legislation seeks to update the existing law to reflect current technological realities and emerging security challenges.
According to him, the amendment is designed to make the relevant agency more effective in carrying out its mandate and better positioned to serve Nigerians.
He noted that the bill would be subjected to a public hearing, where stakeholders, including the media, would have the opportunity to scrutinise its provisions and make contributions before its eventual passage.
Imasuen identified the establishment of a comprehensive whistleblower and witness protection framework as one of the most significant aspects of the proposed legislation.
He said many Nigerians possess valuable information that could help security agencies combat terrorism, insurgency and other security threats, but are often reluctant to come forward because they fear retaliation or lack confidence that they will be adequately protected.
The senator argued that institutionalising legal protection for whistleblowers and witnesses would encourage more citizens to share intelligence without fear of victimisation.
He added that stronger safeguards would improve information gathering, enhance investigations and ensure that complaints and intelligence reports are acted upon more promptly by the appropriate authorities.
Imasuen maintained that the overall objective of the amendment is to strengthen Nigeria’s anti-terrorism legal framework, align it with present-day realities and improve the country’s capacity to respond effectively to evolving security challenges.