National Assembly amends NDLEA Act, approves life imprisonment for drug traffickers

The Senate on Thursday amended the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act to accommodate life imprisonment for persons found guilty of storing, moving or concealing hard drugs and other illicit substances.

The amendment was considered during the plenary, which was presided over by the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, after the majority of the senators supported it.

The amendment followed the recommendation of the conference committee of the two chambers of the National Assembly on Section 11 of the NDLEA Act.

Recently, the House of Representatives passed an amendment to the NDLEA law to prescribe life imprisonment for drug traffickers, In contrast, the Senate version of the amendment prescribed the death penalty for the offenders.

Consequently, the two chambers set up a conference committee to harmonise their respective versions.

During the plenary, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Tahir Monguno, told his colleagues that the Senate will adopt the amendment of the House, prescribing life imprisonment to drug traffickers.

Mr Monguno, who is the chairperson of the conference committee, explained that if the National Assembly adopts the death sentence, it means over 900 accused persons behind bars in drug-related cases will be executed.

He urged his colleagues to support the resolution to reduce the effects of drug consumption and trading in the country.

After the presentation, the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, put the resolution to a vote, and most senators supported it through a voice vote.

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With the amendment, the section now reads, “Anybody who is unlawfully involved in the storage, custody, movement, carriage or concealment of dangerous drugs or controlled substances and who, while so involved, is armed with any offensive weapon or is disguised in any way, shall be guilty of an offence under this Act, and liable on conviction to be sentenced to life imprisonment.”

Next, the amended bill will be sent to President Bola Tinubu for assent into law. There is no indication that the president will reject the amendment made by the parliament controlled by his party, APC.