The Nigerian Senate wants to punish drug traffickers with death

The Nigerian Senate on Thursday suggested amending the legislation to make the death penalty the new maximum punishment for drug trafficking, considerably toughening the sanctions already in place.

The modification, which has not yet become law, takes the place of life in prison, which was the worst penalty.

Nigeria, home to over 200 million people, is the most populous country in Africa. In recent times, it has evolved from serving as a hub for the transit of illegal substances to being a major producer, distributor, and consumer of these drugs.

According to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, which outlawed the manufacture and importation of codeine cough syrup in 2018, opioid misuse, particularly the abuse of tramadol and cough syrups containing codeine, has been pervasive throughout Nigeria.

Although cannabis is grown nearby, opioid addiction is being fueled by the trafficking of cocaine, methamphetamine, and other opiates into the nation along with cannabis.

The Senate committees on drugs and narcotics, human rights and legal affairs, and judiciary produced a report that served as the basis for the law. Senator Mohammed Monguno delivered the report to the Senate at its plenary meeting on Thursday.

Proponents contended that the possibility of execution would act as a more potent disincentive to drug dealers than the prospect of life in jail.

Legislators opposed to the bill voiced worries about the death penalty’s irreversibility and the potential for erroneous convictions.

The law was enacted earlier by the House of Representatives, although it did not include the death sentence. Before it is sent to the president, five chosen senators and representatives from the House and Senate must reconcile the two versions.