The House of Representatives has passed for second reading a bill for an Act to amend the Flag and Coats of Arms Act, Cap. F30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to regulate, display and use of national flags.
The bill, which was sponsored by Hon Sada Soli, was passed during plenary on Wednesday in Abuja.
The bill, when passed into law, is to increase the number of organisations that can arrest any person for abuse or misuse and the fines for abuse and misuse of the flag.
Leading the debate, Hon Soli called on lawmakers to support the bill. He also explained that the bill is divided into four sections, and Section 8 seeks to be amended as part of Section 2.
He stated: “Section 8 of the Principal Act is amended by adding a new organisation as a Civil Defence Corps officer or any paramilitary organisation that may seize or remove any flag.
“Section 10 increases the fines of the offence from one hundred naira to one hundred thousand naira.
“Mr Speaker, Hon. Colleagues, both individuals and public and corporate organisations, from experience, use the flag to violate the use of our national flag, and we need to curb the excessive abuse of the flag. Hence, it needs to bring on board this amendment.”
The bill was first read on Thursday, November 23, 2023.