Senate passes President’s anti-corruption bill

The Nigerian Senate has passed the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Between Nigeria and Other Foreign Countries bill.

The executive bill which seeks to secure international support for Nigeria in its anti-corruption crusade was read for the third time and passed by the Senate on Tuesday, May 30, 2017.

The bill was sent to the Senate by President Muhammadu Buhari on January 27, 2016.

“The bill seeks to get relevant international assistance in cases of money laundering and provide framework for other countries to assist in provision of and obtaining of evidence, making of arrangements for persons to give evidence,” President Buhari said in the letter.

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“The bill also hopes to elicit international assistance in criminal investigations, recovery, forfeiture or confiscation of property in respect of offences.

“The restraining of dealings in property or the freezing of asset that may be recovered, forfeited or confiscated in respect of offences.

“The execution of request for search and seizure, the location and identification of witnesses and suspects,” the president added.

The bill will become law after a similar passage by the House of Representatives.

This will be followed by the joint approval of the National Assembly before it is transmitted to the executive for assent.