Buhari signs bill seeking foreign assistance to recover proceeds of crime into law
Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari has signed a bill titled ‘Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act, 2019’ into law.
The Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, briefed State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said that the law which takes effect from June 20, 2019, specifically seeks to facilitate the identification, tracing, freezing, restraining, recovery, forfeiture and confiscation of proceeds, property and other instruments of crime by Nigerians in other countries.
The aim, according to him, is to obtain from other countries, on reciprocal basis, mutual assistance in the prosecution of Criminal matters including the location and identification of suspects, witnesses and other materials for prosecution of criminal matters.
He said that the new law explained other provisions of the legislation including the interception of telecommunications and conversion of electronic surveillance, restraint of dealings in property, or the freezing of assets, that may be recovered, forfeited or confiscated in respect of offences.
He further explained that the Attorney -General of the Federation is designated as the Central Authority for making, receiving and transmitting requests for assistance to and from other countries as well as performing other functions reserved in the Act.
Enang said the law includes other assistance that is not contrary to the municipal law of the requesting State.
The Presidential aide however, said “Where the alleged offence is of a political character or an offence under military law or is not an offence under the laws of Nigeria, the provisions of this law shall not apply.”
