The Nigerian Senate has amended Clause 11 of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act to provide for the death sentence on conviction of drug abuse.
This alteration stiffens the earlier penalty of life imprisonment.
Clause 11 in the previous Act reads thus “Any offence for a person who has no lawful authority to do so, engages in the importation, production, manufacturing, processing, growing and planting of cocaine, heroin, LSD or any other drugs of similar nature. The offense is punishable on conviction with a sentence of life imprisonment”.
This move follows the consideration of a report on the amendment of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act (Amendment) Bill presented by the Senate Committee on Judith Human Right and Legal Matter and Drugs & Narcotics.
The report which was presented by committee’s chairman, Senator Monguno Mohammed Tahir, had 46 sections/clauses of the NDLEA amendment bill were read in the red chamber.
The Senate had resolved into the Committee of Whole for a clause by clause consideration of the amendment bill.
On clause 11, Senator Ali Ndume argued that if the importation, production, manufacturing, processing, growing and planting of cocaine, heroin, LSD or any other drugs of similar nature must be reduced to the barest minimum, a stiffer punishment must be placed on the offenders.
Senator Ndume recommended that such offense should be punishable by death. The amendment was thrown into voice vote with the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, representing Senator Godswill Akpabio who briefly stepped out of the plenary, slammed the gavel for the “Hi”.
Attempt by Senate Adams Oshiomhole to call for caution on the new amendment met a brick wall as the Deputy Senate President, Barau did not heed to his observation.
The Senate President, while commending the Committee chairman and the members, said the bill will serve as deterrent to would-be offenders.
