NDLEA proposes life imprisonment without options of fine for drug dealers

The Nigerian drug Law Enforcement Agency has proposed life imprisonment without options of fine for drug offenders

The Director-General/ Secretary of the NDLEA, Shadrach Haruna, who represented the Chairman of the Agency, Mohammed Buba Marwa, at a public hearing on the “National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004 (Amendment) Bill, 2021” made this known during the public hearing on Thursday.

The Director-General proposed that any person who without lawful authority imports, manuftures, produces, plants or grows a dangerous drugs shall be guilty of an offence and liable to on conviction to be sentenced to life imprisonment without an option of fine.

Haruna also proposed same punishments for any person who exports, transports, sells and buys controlled substances.

Meanwhile, Senator representing Plateau Central zone in the National Assembly, Nde Hezekiah Dimka has continued to raised concern on the high rates of drug abuse and insecurity in the country, 

According to the lawmaker, drug abuse, trafficking and crime are interrelated and have negatively impacted so much in our nation through crime and insecurity.

“Drug abuse and trafficking has continued to serve as catalyst to violence, insurgency and many communal conflicts in the country.

“Nigeria as a country has suffered so many loss of lives, properties and dignity due to involvement of well meaning Nigerians abusing and trafficking in drugs”, he stated.

Sen. Dimka noted that NDLEA Act 2004 was long overdue for amendment, assuring that the 9th Senate would work assiduously to stem the menace in the society.