Moves by the Senate to empower the Federal government to seize assets from individuals acquired through corruption got a boost a bill to that effect has scaled second reading.
It is a bill seeking to give the federal government enabling powers to seize and confiscate assets acquired by corrupt public officers, money launderers and criminals involved in terrorist financing and other crimes.
Sponsored by Senator All Progressives Congress, APC, Kaduna North.
In his lead debate, Suleiman Abdu Kwari, who sponsored the bill said it was first read on 16th March, 2021, and also listed as a version among the bills of interest contained in the recent Executive Communication from President Muhammadu Buhari.
He explained that the main objective of the bill is to provide for the establishment of a department in the relevant organisations to manage forfeited assets.
According to him, the department would provide for an effective legal and institutional framework for the recovery and management of the proceeds of crime, as well as civil forfeitures in non-conviction based sentencing.
