Senate Steps Down Bill Seeking Life Sentence For Drug Offenses
The Senate on Wednesday stepped down a bill seeking life sentence for persons convicted in drug related offenses.
The bill entitled “Report of A Bill for An Act To Amend The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, CAP. NO30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 To Strengthen The Operations of the Agency, Empower the Agency To Establish Laboratories, Update The List of Dangerous Drugs, Review The Penalty Provisions, Enhance The Power of The Agency To Prosecute Drug-Related Offences And Issue Subsidiary Legislation; And For Related Matters.
Participating in the debate on the impact of drug abuse in the country, and the need for a classification of appropriate punishment for offenders, former Plateau State governor, Senator Simon Lalong; said that the introduction of the Bill “is timely.”
He explained that “hard drugs are not easy,” adding that “in the last ten years it’s been a menace amongst young people leading to insecurity.”
According to him, last week a video surfaced of the invention of a drug that leads to mental paralysis.
While insisting that the penalty for drug abuse should be based on its category of usage – production, carriage or usage, the lawmaker pointed out that as a governor “It took me three years to prosecute a drug Baron in Jos.
“At the time he was in jail he was still producing more,” he added.
Lalong said drug barons are patronized by high class individuals in society.
He called for a holistic approach in tackling the crisis, as he warned of new methods being employed by offenders, stressing on the need to adopt new methods that would “protect our youths and generation to come.”
The Plateau State lawmaker further emphasized the role of civil society groups in the race against drug abuse in the country.
Continuing, Senators Adams Oshiomole and Mohamed Mongonu underscored the need to classify drugs, as they maintained that the Senate should not rubber stamp anything whatsoever that comes from the House of Representatives.
Their position was inspired by the fact that the bill is concurrence legislation from the lower chamber.
