The Federal Government has warned landlords who rent out properties to terrorists and individuals who host preparatory meetings for terrorist groups that they risk 20 years imprisonment.
A director in the Legal Office of the National Security Adviser, Mijinyawa Zakari, gave the warning in Abuja during a press briefing on the 11th phase of terrorism suspects’ trial.
He said the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022 criminalises preparatory offences and providing material or financial support to terrorist groups.
He also said providing support to terrorism attracts a minimum of 20 years jail term, adding that knowingly renting properties to terrorists is a prosecutable offence.
“A careful reading of the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022, will indicate that Sections 11 to 33 provide for a wide range of offences, including preparatory offences,” he added.
According to him, the government’s strategy is to strengthen its response to terrorism by targeting not only direct perpetrators but also individuals and organisations that facilitate their activities.
“The strategy is to ensure that there is dominance across all fields. When you talk about collaborators, you deal with what the investigation has revealed.
“For example, providing support to terrorism attracts a minimum sentence of 20 years. Renting your property to a terrorist is also an offence.
“You may not have a clear-cut act of terrorism or a harmful act, but all those actions, including holding a preparatory meeting with a terrorist group, constitute offences,” he said.
He urged Nigerians, particularly journalists and other stakeholders, to familiarise themselves with the provisions of the law to understand the range of activities classified as terrorism-related offences.
He also warned companies against receiving funds linked to terrorism, saying they could face severe sanctions regardless of whether the money was eventually used to commit a terrorist offence.
He said a company found guilty of receiving terrorist financing could be fined N200 million, while its principal officers could face prosecution and the company itself could be wound up.
“That is why there is a need for increased awareness of what constitutes a terrorist offence in Nigeria. Reading those sections will really help us,” he said.
He encouraged journalists and other stakeholders to obtain copies of the Act and study its relevant provisions to better understand the government’s counter-terrorism strategy.
He added that the government was strengthening its investigative capacity to ensure that more individuals and organisations involved in terrorism financing and other forms of support were brought to justice.
