The Senate has approved death penalty as punishment for the importers of hard drugs into the country.
This also applies to manufacturing, trafficking, dealing in, or delivery of drugs by any means. The new bill passed by the senate include cocaine and heroin, among others.
The decision by the Senate followed its review of a report from the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters as well as Drugs and Narcotics regarding the NDLEA Act, (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
The maximum punishment in the extant law for offenders is life imprisonment.
Senator Mohammed Monguno, representing Borno North, who is the Chairman of the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters presented the report during the Plenary on Thursday at the National Assembly, Abuja.
The Bill passed its third reading is aimed at eradicating dangerous drugs, bolster the operation of NDLEA, reassess penalties and facilitate the establishment of the laboratories.
During the clause by clause examination of the Bill, Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau who chaired the session, conducted voice vote on the amendment regarding the death penalty.
Chief Whip Senator Ali Ndume recommended that the penalty be “toughened” to the death penalty. The penalty for drug importation or dealership is captured in Section 11 of the existing law, which Senator Ndume sought to increase to a death sentence.
Senator Ndume said, “This should be changed to the death sentence. This is the standard worldwide. We have to do this to address this drug problem that has seriously affected our youth. “It should be toughened beyond life imprisonment. It should be the death sentence, either by hanging or any other way”.
The former Governor of Edo State, Senator Adams Oshiomhole said “When a matter has to do with life and death, we should be accountable.
“This is lawmaking. We are not here to take voice votes” Oshiomhole argued. However, the former President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) lost the argument as he was overruled by Senator Jibrin.
The Deputy Senator President emphatically told the former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Senate procedures, saying that Senator Oshiomhole ought to have called for a division of the Senate immediately after the voting took place and before the Senate moved to another clause in the amendment bill.
This is about procedure. You were supposed to call for a division; you didn’t do so, and I am sorry, I can’t help you”, The Deputy Senate President stood his ground and abide with the decision of the Senate.
Another lawmaker from Akwa Ibom State, Senator Sampson Ekong, also tried to protest the ruling, but he was overruled.
The Senate later passed the bill for a third reading.
RN
