The Senate on Thursday passed a bill imposing a death penalty on anyone convicted of drug trafficking.
The passage of the bill was sequel to the presentation of the report by the joint committees on judiciary and drugs and narcotics led by Tahir Monguno, senator representing Borno North.
He argued that the current law needs to be strengthened in order to effectively carry out war against drugs in the country.
The Senate went into the “committee of the whole” to consider clauses of the bill after the presentation of the report.
But the senators were sharply divided afterwards when it was passed after the presiding officer and deputy president of the Senate, Barau Jubrin put it to vote.
Although he gave it to the ‘ayes’, Adams Oshiomhole, a senator representing Edo North, challenged the ruling warning that, “Anything that deals with life, we should be careful.”
Jibrin overruled him, pointing out that he should have called for a divide noting his reaction was belated.
“I’m sorry my former national chairman… you should have called for a divide, it is your right, but we have passed it,” the deputy senate president said.
Another effort from Akpan Ekong, senator representing Akwa Ibom south, who sought to present opposition under “personal explanation” to annual the provision failed as Jibrin again ruled him out of order.
The bill will be sent to the president for assent to become law.