The Federal Government has warned that landlords who rent property to terrorists, and people who host planning meetings for terrorist groups, could be prosecuted under the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022.
Mijinyawa Zakari, Director of the Legal Office of the National Security Adviser, made the warning at a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday.
The briefing came after the 11th phase of trials of terrorism suspects ended.
Zakari said the law makes many activities illegal, including preparing for an attack and giving support to terrorist groups.
He said Sections 11 to 33 of the Act cover a wide range of offences, including those done in preparation.
He said giving support to terrorism carries a minimum jail term of 20 years.
He added that renting a property to a terrorist is also a crime.
Even when there is no clear act of violence, he said, actions like holding a planning meeting with a terrorist group are still offences.
He urged Nigerians, especially journalists and other stakeholders, to read the law and understand what counts as a terrorism-related crime.
He advised people to get a copy of the Act and go through those sections, saying it would help the media and the public understand the government’s approach.
Zakari also warned companies against receiving money linked to terrorism.
He said a company that takes such funds would be fined N200 million, even if the money was never used for a crime.
He added that the company’s leaders could be prosecuted and the business could be shut down.
He said the government is building up its investigation capacity and expects more charges against people and organisations involved in terrorism financing and other forms of support.
He said the strategy targets both those who help and those who carry out attacks, whatever their level of involvement.
Separately, the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria dismissed claims that people facing terrorism charges are being kept from lawyers of their choice.
The council’s Director-General, Aliyu Abubakar, was represented at the briefing by his Technical Adviser on Counter-Terrorism, Dauda Hassan.
Hassan said the government has made coordinated efforts to make sure defendants get legal representation and a fair hearing.
He said legal aid officials regularly visit defendants at the Kuje Correctional Centre and military facilities to speak with them before trial.
Abubakar also denied that defendants are blocked from hiring private lawyers.
He said the council has received many requests from lawyers wanting to take over cases.
However, private lawyers must first get clearance from the relevant authorities, including the DSS and the Director of Federal Prosecution, before they can collect case files from the council.
He said the council respects every defendant’s right to choose a lawyer and that claims of denied access to defence counsel are false.
He added that defence lawyers, with logistical support from the Office of the National Security Adviser, have been flown by helicopter to Kuje to meet defendants before their trials.
