The passage followed the presentation of the report of the House committee on Peace and Security on the bill by its Vice Chairman, Hon Sheriff Oborevwori at plenary presided over by the Speaker, Rt Hon Monday Igbuya.
Presenting the report, the Vice Chairman, House Committee on Peace and Security Hon Sheriff Oborevwori said a public hearing was held on the bill where several submissions were made by critical stakeholders.
He stated the committee took into cognizance the submissions of the stakeholders in proposing some amendments being presented to the house for further scrutiny at the committee of the whole.
Hon Oborevwori disclosed that the committee also during it sittings carefully scrutinized all the sections, clause by clause, noting that the amendments made on each of the sections were contained in the annexure being submitted together with the report.
The Majority Leader, Hon Tim Owhefere in separate motions moved for the receipt of the report for further consideration and to resolve into a committee of the whole to consider the report.
At the committee of the whole the death sentence clause was amended to life imprisonment without option of fine for any one who unlawfully receive or has in his possession bombs and other explosives.
The Bill also prescribed life imprisonment also without option of fine for anybody with the intent to maim or kill through bombs, explosives or use of any corrosive fluid.
The committee adopted fourteen years imprisonment without option of fine upon conviction for anybody in possession of materials that could be used in producing explosives of any sort or in possession of dangerous or offensive weapon for the purpose of destruction of lives and property.
The amendment of section seven of the bill threw the House into a rowdy session as members in the two divides of the proposed amendment stuck to a particular position in support and against the proposed amendment.
The said section seven states that the Police or any security agents shall have powers to arrest anybody on reasonable ground that he is a cultist or terrorist or is sponsoring violence, while sub section two allows any person believes on reasonable grounds that another person is a cultist or terrorist can arrest the suspect and hand him over to the Police.
While some of the lawmakers argued that the section should be allowed in the proposed law as it would go a long way in checking the nefarious activities of cultists in the society, others said no to it as it could be used for political witch haunting.
The ruling by the chairman of the committee of whole, Hon Monday Igbuya in favor of the argument resulted to s rowdy session.
However, the entire section seven was subsequently expunged from the proposed law following further amendment by a member who argued that it will lead to chaos as people may misapply the section to deal with perceived enemy.
The Bill also stipulated that any telecommunication company operating in the state which fails to comply within forty eight hours with a request made to obtain confidential information will be liable upon conviction to a fine of twenty million Naira for each request among other amendments made.
The motion for the third reading of the bill and it subsequent passage was moved by the Majority Leader, Hon Tim Owhefere, seconded by Hon Anthony Elekeokwuri, Ika North East and was adopted.
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