The death penalty for drug traffickers in the nation has been approved by the Senate.
This is a follow-up to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024, report of the Committees on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters and Drugs and Narcotics.
The report was delivered in plenary on Thursday by Senator Mohammed Monguno (APC-Borno North), the chairman of the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, and Legal Matters.
The bill, which passed third reading, intends to strengthen the NDLEA’s operations, update the list of dangerous drugs, review penalties, and give laboratories more authority.
Read Also:
If a competent court finds that drug traffickers are guilty of the offense, Section 11 of the current act stipulates a life sentence. However, the 2024 bill attempted to amend itself to include the death penalty, a harsher punishment.
Senator Ali Ndume moved to upgrade the life sentence to the death penalty during consideration, despite the report’s recommendation against the death penalty for the offence.
Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who presided over the session, put the amendment on the death penalty to a voice vote and declared that the “ayes” had it during a clause-by-clause review of the Bill.
However, Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) contended that life-or-death decisions shouldn’t be made hastily.
But Barau claimed it was too late because he had not immediately called for division following his decision.
After that, the Senate read the bill three times and approved it.
