THE former Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, has recommended capital punishment for drug dealers as a method to halt the tide of the scourge in Nigeria.
Obi issued the call in a series of tweets on X today, as the world commemorated International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
He also recommended that the federal government invest towards rehabilitating individuals who are already involved in drug usage.
He said, “Today is set aside by the global community to commemorate the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. It is a day set out to strengthen actions that will rid society of drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking.
“We must, therefore, seek to save our nation from the menace of drug abuse and illicit trafficking. More efforts must be channelled into preventing the spread of this virus.
“The government should invest in rehabilitating those already caught in the web of drug abuse and stringent punishment meted out to drug traffickers. With commitment and sincerity of action, we can achieve a drug-free nation in a New Nigeria that is possible.”
The Senate, on May 9, proposed the death penalty as the new maximum punishment for drug trafficking, as against the previously used life sentence.
This is because Nigeria, with over 200 million people, has transitioned from a transit point to a major producer, consumer, and distributor of illicit substances.
Opioid misuse, particularly tramadol and codeine-containing cough syrups, is rampant, which led to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control prohibiting codeine syrup in 2018.
While cannabis is locally grown, cocaine, methamphetamine, and other drugs are trafficked, exacerbating addiction.
The proposal, which stems from a Senate investigation, seeks to deter traffickers through the possibility of execution.
However, some lawmakers are concerned about the death penalty’s irreversible nature and the possibility of false convictions.
The law, which was earlier passed by the House of Representatives without the death penalty provision, must be reconciled between the Senate and House versions before it can be presented to President Bola Tinubu.
