NALT: Stricter Laws Will Quell Terrorism, Cyber Crime

By David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

The Nigerian Association of Law Teachers (NALT) has said that stricter enforcement of terrorism and cyber laws in Nigeria can end both crimes.

The association stated this in its communique issued on Saturday after its 50th annual conference held at the Faculty of Law, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State.

The communique signed by the President of NALT and its secretary, Prof Godwin Okeke and Dr Ikenga Oraegbunam respectively decried the spate of crime in the country.

The association said law teachers had professional responsibility to redefine the philosophy of law and its underpinnings with a view to fashioning out law and institutions that would deliver on quick and fair dispensation of justice that would reflect societal abhorrence of corruption.

Part of the communiqué reads, “Given the global upsurge in terrorism and organized crimes, it is necessary to-strictly enforce the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act 2013, and design policy measures of synergy between Nigeria and other international anti-terrorist organisations in collaborative exchange programmes.

“Given the changing nature of technology, it is recommended that cyber security law should move along lines dictated by cyber policy as formulated by government to cover new areas of threat.

“Therefore, the Cyber Act should be amended to make provision for gap filling through executive or administrative orders as the need arises.

“Nigeria should as a matter of urgent effort towards ensuring energy security, complete the privatization of the gamut of electricity supply by deregulation of generation, transmission and distribution of power.
“Security should be re-conceptualized with the safety and welfare as a core ingredient while still paying due attention to the security of the state.

“The Nigerian government should consider upgrading existing security measures with technology.
“There is an urgent need for government to construct and put in place policy measures and laws that address security challenges in the context of the wider perspective of threat to include more than security of life and property, but to include social security and a right to development of the person, in particular to include food security, health and environmental security.

“In view of the increasing insecurity to life and property in the country, it is imperative to deploy all available legal means to combat the growing insecurity in Nigeria in order to enhance confidence of the Nigerian people and promote national cohesion and development.”

The association added that the state should see insecurity through the lens of human and infrastructural development rather than what it called the”command-and-control mechanism”.