The Senate has amended the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act to prescribe life imprisonment for individuals found guilty of storing, transporting, or concealing illicit drugs and substances.

The amendment was adopted, yesterday, during plenary, presided over by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, following wide support from the senators.

The rejigging reflects a harmonised position of the Senate and the House of Representatives on Section II of the NDLEA Act.

The House had earlier passed an amendment prescribing life imprisonment for drug traffickers, while the Senate had proposed death penalty.

To reconcile the differences, a conference committee of both chambers was convened.

Senator Tahir Monguno, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, and Legal Matters, presented the harmonised version to the Senate.

He urged lawmakers to adopt the House’s position of life imprisonment, arguing that enforcing the death penalty could lead to execution of over 900 accused persons currently awaiting trial for drug-related offences.

The Deputy Senate President, who presided over the plenary, had put the resolution to a voice vote, and majority supported the amendment.