The Senate has approved the NDLEA Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024, passing it for the third reading and thereby endorsing death penalty as the maximum punishment for drug traffickers in Nigeria.
During the session on Thursday, the Senate convened for a clause-by-clause examination of the report from its Joint Committees on Judiciary, Human Rights & Legal Matters, and Drugs & Narcotics concerning the Bill. The report had been presented earlier at the plenary by Senator Tahir Munguno, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights & Legal Matters.
As part of efforts to bolster the effectiveness of the anti-narcotics agency, a proposal to amend the penalties stipulated in the Bill was discussed. This included a suggestion to replace the existing life sentence with a death penalty for drug traffickers, which was put forward by the Senate Chief Whip and subsequently accepted.
However, this amendment sparked some disagreement among lawmakers, leading to a brief commotion in the chamber. Senator Adams Oshiomhole voiced his dissatisfaction, citing concerns about the perceived haste in considering and passing the amended clause.
Despite Senator Oshiomhole’s objection, the Deputy Senate President, who presided over the session, declined to reverse the ruling, citing its timing as a determining factor.