On Thursday, the Senate convened a committee of the whole to scrutinize a report presented by Senator Tahir Munguno, Chairman of the Committees on Judiciary, Human Rights & Legal Matters, and Drugs & Narcotics, regarding the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
During the examination of penalty provisions aimed at bolstering the agency’s operations, Senator Peter Nwebonyi, the Senate Chief Whip, proposed an amendment to impose the death penalty on drug traffickers instead of a life sentence, as stipulated in clause 11.
Initially, it seemed that the opposition had the majority voice in the voice vote. However, upon a second vote, the Deputy Senate President ruled in favor of the proponents, causing a mild uproar among dissatisfied lawmakers.
Senator Adams Oshiomhole voiced his dissatisfaction with what he deemed a rushed consideration and passage of the amended clause. Despite his objection, the Deputy Senate President upheld the ruling, citing its timeliness according to parliamentary rules.
Additionally, the Senate commenced a review of the salaries, allowances, and fringe benefits of judicial office holders to combat bribery and corruption and uphold judicial independence. An executive bill proposing salary prescriptions for judicial office holders at both federal and state levels passed the second reading on Thursday, aiming to address long-standing stagnation in remuneration to align with current socio-economic conditions.
Although the bill received unanimous support, some lawmakers suggested extending the salary review to other sectors in light of prevailing economic challenges. The bill was subsequently referred to the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, and Legal Matters for further scrutiny, with a report expected within four weeks.