National Assembly Amends NDLEA Act, Endorses Life Imprisonment For Drug Traffickers

In a decisive move aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s fight against drug trafficking, the National Assembly has amended the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act to include life imprisonment for offenders involved in the storage, transportation, or concealment of hard drugs and other illicit substances.

This amendment was finalized on Thursday during a plenary session of the Senate, presided over by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin. The session garnered overwhelming support from lawmakers for the revised penalties.

Harmonizing the Amendments

The amendment stemmed from a recommendation by a conference committee comprising members from both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Initially, the House of Representatives proposed life imprisonment as the penalty for drug traffickers, while the Senate’s version of the amendment sought to impose the death penalty. The two chambers established a conference committee to harmonize the differences, resulting in the adoption of the House’s recommendation.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, and Legal Matters, Tahir Monguno, presented the committee’s findings during the plenary. He highlighted that enforcing the death penalty could lead to the execution of over 900 individuals currently awaiting trial for drug-related offenses. This concern led to the preference for life imprisonment over capital punishment.

Addressing Drug-Related Challenges

During the session, Monguno urged his fellow lawmakers to support the revised penalty, emphasizing its potential to deter drug trafficking and reduce the harmful impact of illicit substances on Nigerian society.

Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin subsequently put the resolution to a voice vote, which saw majority support from senators, solidifying its adoption.