Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, has dropped a Counter-Subversion Bill sponsored by him, recommending harsh punishments for offenders.
Abbas made the move over a public outcry on the proposed Bill that sought to criminalise subversive activities by associations, organisations and other proscribed groups in the country.
The Bill by the Speaker sought to punish between two to five years imprisonment or a fine of N2 million and N15 million both on individuals and organisations or both on those found guilty.
The Bill sought to provide a legal and institutional framework to detect, prevent, investigate criminalise, prosecute and sanction subversive and related activities and to also regulate the procedure and determine how the provisions of this act shall be executed.
After an initial statement explaining that the Bill was not targeted at any individual or group, the Speaker of the House in another statement signed by his special adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Musa Abdullahi Krishi, withdrew the Bill.
“In response to the voices and concerns of the people, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D., has decided to withdraw the Counter Subversion Bill and other related draft legislation.
“This decision follows his extensive consultations with a broad range of stakeholders and a careful consideration of the nation’s current circumstances.”
According to the proposed legislation, anyone found guilty of refusing to recite the national anthem shall be fined N5 million, face a 10-year prison sentence, or both.
Anyone who destroys a national symbol or a place of worship shall be liable to the same punishment.
The Bill “stipulates that anyone found guilty of destroying national symbols, refusing to recite the national anthem and pledge, defacing a place of worship with intent to incite violence, or undermining the Federal Government shall face a fine of N5 million, a 10-year prison sentence, or both”.
The Bill also “states that anyone who sets up an illegal roadblock, performs unauthorised traffic duties, imposes an illegal curfew, or organises an unlawful procession will be subject to a fine of N2 million, five years in prison, or both upon conviction”.
Also, any person who “forcefully takes over any place of worship, town hall, school, premises, public or private place, arena, or a similar place through duress, undue influence, subterfuge or other similar activities, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of N5 million or imprisonment for a term of 10 years or both”.
“A person who professes loyalty, pledges or agrees to belong to an organisation that disregards the sovereignty of Nigeria, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of N3 million or imprisonment for a term of four years or both,” it also added among others.
In May, President Bola Tinubu signed into law the bill to revert to Nigeria’s old national anthem which was dropped by a military government in 1978.
The newly re-adopted anthem, which begins “Nigeria, We Hail Thee,” was written by Lillian Jean Williams in 1959 and composed by Frances Berda.
