O bill – which now awaits ratification by the President, Bola Tinubu – called “National Drug Law Enforcement Act 2024”, received the support of senators in third reading and provides for the death penalty for anyone who imports, manufactures, produces, processes or sells drugs hard drugs, like cocaine or heroin.
Senate leader Ali Ndume said the life sentence for these crimes should be “toughened” and “changed to the death penalty”, according to the Nigerian daily Punch.
“This is the global standard. We must do this to solve the drug problem, which has seriously affected our young people”, he stated, defending: “It must be harsher than life imprisonment. It should be the death penalty, by hanging or other methods”, he argued.
However, senators who oppose changing the legislation expressed concern about the irreversible nature of this type of sentence and the possibility of innocent people being convicted.
Police sources cited by Punch said the change would “send a strong message to drug dealers and users”.
The bill has now been sent to Tinubu’s office, who is yet to give his consent for the law to be enacted.
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Tags: Senate approves death penalty drug trafficking consumption Nigeria
