Senate Approves D£ath Penalty For Drug Traffickers

The death penalty for drug traffickers in the nation has been approved by the Nigerian 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.

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Senator Mohammed Monguno (APC-Borno North), the chairman of the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, and Legal Matters, delivered the report at plenary on Thursday.

The law, which passed third reading, intends to enhance the NDLEA’s activities, update the list of hazardous medications, evaluate punishments, and give laboratories more authority.

Drug dealers found guilty of the crime by a qualified court may get a life sentence under Section 11 of the existing statute. However, the 2024 law attempted to alter itself to include the death sentence, a harsher punishment.

Senator Ali Ndume pushed to raise the life sentence to the death penalty during discussion, despite the report’s recommendation against the death punishment for the offense.

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 said it was too late since he had not immediately called for division following his decision.

Subsequently, the Senate passed the bill after reading it through three times. [CONTINUE READING HERE]