FG Warns Landlords, Firms Against Providing Support to Terrorists

The Federal Government has warned landlords who rent properties to terrorists, as well as companies involved in terrorism financing, that they risk prosecution under the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022.
The Director of the Legal Office of the Office of the National Security Adviser, Mijinyawa Zakari, gave the warning during a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, following the conclusion of the 11th phase of trials of terrorism suspects.
Zakari said the law criminalises a broad range of terrorism-related activities, including providing support to terrorist groups, financing terrorism and holding preparatory meetings with suspected terrorist organisations.
He explained that individuals could face prosecution even where no direct act of terrorism or physical harm had occurred.
According to him, Sections 11 to 33 of the Act outline various offences, including preparatory acts and other forms of assistance to terrorist groups.
“Providing support to terrorism attracts a minimum sentence of 20 years. Renting your property to a terrorist is also an offence,” he said.
Zakari urged Nigerians, particularly journalists and other stakeholders, to familiarise themselves with the provisions of the law to better understand activities that could attract criminal liability.
He also warned companies against receiving funds linked to terrorism, regardless of whether the money was eventually used to carry out a terrorist act.
He said companies found guilty of receiving terrorist financing could face a fine of N200 million, while their principal officers could be prosecuted and the companies potentially wound up.
The NSA’s legal director added that the government was strengthening its investigative capacity to identify and prosecute individuals and organisations suspected of facilitating terrorism.
He said the enforcement strategy covered both direct perpetrators and those suspected of providing support, stressing that the law would be applied according to the findings of investigations.
Meanwhile, the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria has dismissed allegations that defendants facing terrorism charges were being denied access to lawyers of their choice.
The Director-General of the council, Aliyu Abubakar, represented by his Technical Adviser on Counter-Terrorism, Dauda Hassan, said the government had made coordinated efforts to ensure that defendants received legal representation and were given the opportunity to defend themselves in court.
He explained that legal aid officials regularly visited defendants at the Kuje Correctional Centre and military facilities to interview them before their trials.
Abubakar also rejected claims that defendants were prevented from engaging private legal practitioners, saying the council had received requests from lawyers seeking to take over some of the cases.
He said defendants retained the right to choose their lawyers, but interested private practitioners were required to obtain clearance from the relevant authorities, including the Department of State Services and the Director of Federal Prosecution, before collecting the case documents.
According to him, the procedure was not intended to deny defendants legal representation but to ensure that the necessary administrative and security requirements were met.
The council further disclosed that defence lawyers had received logistical assistance, facilitated through the Office of the National Security Adviser, including helicopter transportation to Kuje to meet defendants ahead of their trials.