ABUJA (Sundiata Post) – The House of Representatives is proposing a 25-year jail term, a fine of N15 million or both, for anyone convicted for attacking, disrupting the operation of schools, abducting or holding students or teachers hostage with the intent of sabotaging educational development in the country.
According to the House, when the offence results in the death of a person, the offender on conviction shall be liable to death.
This is contained in a bill seeking to criminalise conducts or activities that cause damage to public or private infrastructure due to sabotage against the security and national interest of Nigeria, and for related matters.
The proposed legislation, which has as its short title, ‘Counter Sabotage Bill 2024’ (HB1651), is sponsored by the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas. The bill, which was introduced in the parliament on July 23, 2024, is currently awaiting second reading, where the general principles will be debated.
The bill also prescribes a fine of N10 million or 25 years jail term or both for any person convicted of aiding, funding, inciting, supporting or procuring another person to do anything that will sabotage the Federal Government or a state.
Furthermore, the proposed legislation prescribes life imprisonment, without an option of fine, for any person convicted for intentionally setting “fire on a farm or plantation in Nigeria with intention to sabotage food security in Nigeria. While a person who rustles, destroys or kills animals commits an offence, and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of seven years or to a fine of N3 million or to both.”
According to the bill, “A person who sets fires on the road either with tyres or other inflammable materials to obstruct or for the purpose of celebration and causes damage to the road, whether or not the burning of fire was for an unlawful purpose, commits an offence of sabotage under this Bill and is liable on conviction to a fine of N5 million or imprisonment for a term of three years or both.”
It stated that in the event the action “causes injury to a person or damage to property, the offender shall be liable on conviction to a fine of N5million or imprisonment for a term of seven years or both, while the offender shall, in addition, to the penalty prescribed, be liable on conviction to pay adequate compensation to the victim of the offence.”
The bill added that if the action results in the death of a person, the offender shall, on conviction, be liable to death.
Similarly, Section 4(1) of the proposed legislation stipulates that “A person who engages in a conduct that destroys or affects any water treatment facility or causes the facility to shut down, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to life imprisonment without an option of fine.” However, when the offence results in the death of a person, the offender shall on conviction be liable to death.
Also, Section 5(1) of the bill prescribes a fine of N15 million or imprisonment for a term of 25 years or both for any person convicted for blowing up a gas pipeline, oil pipeline, electricity facility or water supply pipeline, and disrupting the supply of gas, oil, electricity, petroleum products, or water supply. Nonetheless, when the offence results to the death of a person, the offender, on conviction, shall be liable to death.
Section 6(1) of the bill provides for a fine of N25 million or imprisonment for a term of 20 years or both for a contractor or foreign company “that abandons work intentionally on a critical national infrastructure without reasonable cause in order to damage the facility or project and jeopardise the security and progress of Nigeria.
In addition, the contractor or foreign company shall be blacklisted from doing business in the country.
Furthermore, the bill in Section 7 states that: “A person who uses cyber means by hacking or corrupting data, or by installing malware that destroys critical national data or systems or prepositions a hostile activity to take place at a future date to the detriment of Nigeria’s national security and interest, commits an offence, and is liable on conviction to a fine of N10 million or imprisonment for a term of 15 years or both.”
Similarly, the proposed legislation prescribes life imprisonment, without an option of fine, for anyone convicted of hijacking or disrupting the flight of an aircraft, as well as disrupting the operation of a train. Nevertheless, when the action results in the death of a person, the offender shall, on conviction, be liable to death.
Sections 10, 11, 12 and 13 of the bill states that, “A person who destroys a ship or vessel belonging to the government of Nigeria or a private ship or vessel operating within the Nigerian waters, or a naval ship belonging to the Nigerian Navy, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for life without an option of fine.
“A person, who, with intent to prejudice the safety, security or defence of Nigeria (a) impairs the efficiency or impedes the working of any ship, vehicle, aircraft, arms, munitions, equipment, machinery, apparatus or atomic or nuclear plant; or (b) damages or destroys any property which is necessary to keep intact for the safety or health of the public, commits an offence of sabotage and is liable, on conviction to imprisonment for a term of 20 years, or to a fine of N15 million or to both.
“A person, who trespasses on, injures, or destroys any of the works, property or materials of any submarine, mine or torpedo, or fortification or harbour defence system owned, constructed or in the process of construction by Nigeria; interferes with the operation or use of any such submarine, mine, torpedo, fortification or harbour-defence system, or violates any order or regulation issued under an the Act of the National Assembly governing persons, or vessels within the limits of defensive sea areas for the purpose of national defence, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of N5 million or imprisonment for a term of 10 years or both. Where the violation of subsection (1) results in the death of a person, the offender shall be liable on conviction to death.”
