The Deputy Chief Whip of the Nigerian Senate, and the Senator Representing Ebonyi North Senatorial zone, Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi has called on the National Assembly to consider making drug abuse and trafficking a capital offense to end the challenge in the country.
He noted that the only way to curtail drug abuse and trafficking in Nigeria is by making it a capital offense and maintained that the Bill seeking to establish the National Institute for Drug Awareness and Rehabilitation would not solve the perennial problem.
He maintained that what the Bill intends to achieve is already the primary responsibility of the NDLEA. Senator Nwebonyi made the disclosure while debating on the Bill sponsored by Senator Rufai Sonny Anga which seeks to establish the National Institute for Drug Awareness and Rehabilitation 2024 as read on the floor of the Senate on October 15, 2024.
It was gathered that the Bill attracted mixed reactions from many Senators during the second reading. Leading the debate, Senator Anga who is also the Deputy Minority Leader said that the Institute when established will tackle all issues relating to drug abuse/trafficking and how to rehabilitate the offenders.
He pointed out that all the crimes being witnessed in the country today is as a result of drug abuse noting that he doesn’t mind if over 10 Agencies are created to fight it.
In a swift response, Senator Nwebonyi said that the multiplication of Agencies to fight drug abuse and trafficking is not the ultimate but that the only solution lies in making it a capital punishment as obtainable in other countries such as India, South Africa and even the United States of America.
Senator Adams Oshomole said, “we must not create law for everything in Nigeria rather we should strengthen the existing National Drug Law Enforcement Agency to tackle the problem.
He noted that the NDLEA has the capacity to tackle all drugs related offenses adding that the establishment of a new Agency will involve huge financial burden on the government. The Bill later scaled the second reading after heated debate.
