The National Assembly has commuted the death sentence penalty in the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act to life imprisonment for persons found guilty of storing, moving or concealing hard drugs and other illicit substances in the country.
This is even as the Senate on Thursday concurred with the recommendation of the House of Representatives for the amendment of NDLEA Act.
According to reports, the amendment was considered during the plenary presided over by Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau after majority of the Senators had supported it.
The commuting of the death followed the harmonization of the Conference Committee of the two chambers of the National Assembly on Section 11 of the NDLEA Act.
Recall that the House of Representatives had passed an amendment to the NDLEA law to prescribe life imprisonment for drug traffickers. But the Senate version of the amendment prescribed the death penalty for the offenders.
As a result of the discrepancy, the two chambers of the National Assembly had to hold a Conference Committee on the amendment of the Act. Where the two chambers will agree on a final amendment to the section.
Therefore, during the plenary, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Tahir Monguno, told his colleagues that the Senate will adopt the amendment of the House, prescribing life imprisonment to drug traffickers.
Senator Monguno, who is the Chairman of the Conference Committee, explained that if the National Assembly adopts the death sentence, it means over 900 accused persons behind bars on drug-related cases will be executed.
Monguno, therefore, urged his colleagues to support the resolution of the House in order to reduce the effect of drug consumption and trading in the country.
After the presentation, the Deputy Senate President, Barau put the resolution to a vote. And majority of the Senators supported it through voice vote.
Thereafter, the senate approved the amendments to include life imprisonment for drug traffickers.
After the amendment, the section of the NDLEA Act 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.”
source: Daily Post
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