The National Assembly has approved an amendment to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act, imposing life imprisonment for individuals convicted of drug trafficking.
The amendment, which was harmonized on Thursday by both the Senate and the House of Representatives, is now awaiting presidential assent to become law.
The revised legislation stems from a report presented by Senator Tahir Monguno, the chairman of the conference committee in the Senate.
Senator Monguno emphasized the need for harsher penalties to combat the growing issue of drug trafficking and its associated crimes.
According to the amendment, any person found unlawfully storing, transporting, concealing, or handling dangerous drugs or controlled substances while armed with an offensive weapon or disguised in any manner will face life imprisonment upon conviction.
The amendment comes at a time when Nigeria is grappling with concerns surrounding drug trafficking, with notable figures, including President Bola Tinubu, allegedly linked to such activities. President Tinubu was reported to have forfeited $460,000 to the U.S. government after his accounts were frozen due to suspected connections to heroin trafficking.
