The Nigerian Senate, has passed the Witness Protection and Management Bill, 2022 following its consideration of a report by the joint Committees on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters and Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, in his presentation, said the bill was read for the first time on February 23, 2021, and a second time on January 25, 2022.

He explained that the bill sought to provide for the legal and institutional framework for the protection of witnesses and related persons in respect of disclosures made for public interest.

“It also seeks to provide support, management and protection of witnesses, which will be implemented by all public institutions vested with powers to investigate and/or prosecute criminal cases.

“This programme is a universally accepted concept for the protection of witnesses, who are willing to provide information and evidence for the purpose of enhancing the justice system and whose lives are threatened as a result thereof.

“Therefore, the need to have this legislation in place cannot be over-emphasised as it will give the needed impetus and credence to the current anti-corruption drive of this administration,” he said.

The report on the Witness Protection and Management Bill was passed by the Senate after a clause-by-clause consideration by the Committee of the Whole.