A bill aimed at establishing a national institute for drug abuse awareness and rehabilitation narrowly passed second reading in the Senate on Tuesday.
Lawmakers raised concerns that the proposed legislation might conflict with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The bill Sponsored by Senator Rafiu Hanga representing Kano Central, highlighting the alarming rates of drug abuse in Nigeria
While many senators backed the initiative, Senator Adams Oshiomhole from Edo North, argued that it contradicts the Stephen Oronsaye report advocating for reduced government agency expenditures.
Oshiomhole stressed that creating a new institution would overlap with the NDLEA’s functions.
Other senators suggested that the bill’s goals would only be met if drug abuse was treated as a capital offence.
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There was also a proposal to require drug tests for political candidates, but this suggestion was quickly dismissed by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who presided over the plenary
Senator Seriake Dickson (PDP-Bayelsa) emphasized the urgency of addressing the national narcotics crisis, urging lawmakers not to dismiss the bill.
He proposed strengthening enforcement mechanisms and revisiting the bill in committee with input from stakeholders, including the NDLEA and the Ministry of Justice.
Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin subsequently referred the bill to the Senate Committee on Drugs and Narcotics for further consideration, to report back in four weeks.
