Senate approves death penalty for drug traffickers

The Senate has approved the death penalty for any Nigerian convicted on the charge of drug trafficking.

According to The Nation, the Senate's resolution followed the consideration of a report of the Committees on Judiciary, Human Rights & Legal Matters and Drugs & Narcotics, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024.

The Chairman of the committee on Judicial and Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Mohammed Monguno, presented the report during plenary on Thursday, May 9, 2024.

According to section 11 of the NDLEA Act, "Any person who, without lawful authority; imports, manufactures, produces, processes, plants or grows the drugs popularly known as cocaine, LSD, heroin or any other similar drugs shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to be sentenced to imprisonment for life."

The section was, however, amended to reflect a stiffer penalty of death for drug traffickers.

Although the committee's report did not recommend a death penalty for the offence, Senator Ali Ndume moved that the penalty for the offence be upgraded to a death sentence.

The Senate thereafter put the amendment on the death penalty to a voice vote and majority of the lawmakers supported Ndume's recommendation.

Meanwhile, Senator Adams Oshiomhole objected to the ruling, arguing that matters of life and death should not be treated hurriedly, but the Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, who presided over the session said the Edo lawmaker's objection came late.