The Nigerian Senate on Thursday approved Death Penalty for anyone convicted for committing drug trafficking and other related offenses in the country.
The decision was just as the joint Committees on Judiciary, Legal Matters, and Drugs and Narcotics presented its report on the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act Amendment Bill
At the clause by clause consideration of the Joint Committee’s report, the Senate Chief Whip, Ali Ndume sort an amendment to controversial clause 11, calling for death penalty for anyone who produces, grows , processes and engages in the sales or trafficking of cocaine in Nigeria.
This was against the recommendation of the Committee which proposed 15 years and not more than 25 years without option of fine.
The proposed amendment on the report by Senator Ndume divided the lawmakers
Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi from Ebonyi State seconded Ndume’s proposed amendment, arguing that Nigeria should be prepared to apply the death penalty to send out the right message to drug traffickers in the country.
When the proposed clause amendment was put to voice vote, both the Yes and Nays were loud prompting the presiding officers, Baru Jibrin to put the question for the second time and those in support prevailed
Efforts by Senator Ekong Samson from Akwa Ibom South to make the Senate take another look at the Clause was rejected by the Deputy Senate President who insisted that the gavel had already gone on the matter and there was no way the Senate would return to it.
Other Senators like, Adams Oshomole who were not satisfied with the outcome of the voice vote, called for electronic voting to determine those who supported “death penalty “ and those who stood for “other punishments”.
Deputy President of the Senate, Barau who presided over Plenary ruled him out of order, explaining that what Ekong and Oshiomhole should have called for was a “division” and that since that wasn’t done, there was nothing he could do to reverse the decision and that the Senate sentence of death penalty, stands.
(Editor: Ken Eseni)
