The National Assembly has approved life sentences for drug offenders and has also passed the reform bill for the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission.
This came after the Senate and House of Representatives approved the unified report regarding the amendment of the NDLEA Act.
In delivering the report, Senator Tahir Monguno, Chairman of the Senate Conference Committee, clarified that the proposed amendment aims to impose harsher penalties in order to discourage illegal drug trafficking activities.
The amendment articulates, “Any person who unlawfully engages in the storage, custody, movement, carriage or concealment of dangerous drugs or controlled substances and, while doing so, is armed with an offensive weapon or disguised in any manner, commits an offence under this Act and is liable, upon conviction, to life imprisonment.”
The Senate endorsed the recommendation via a voice vote during the plenary session on Thursday, which was chaired by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin.
Alongside the amendment to the NDLEA, the Senate has also approved a bill aimed at enhancing the powers of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation, and Fiscal Commission.
The newly introduced legislation, called the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation, and Fiscal Commission Bill, 2024, aims to supplant the current RMAFC Act of 2004.
The revised legislation alters the structure and operational guidelines of the commission to guarantee that federal, state, and local governments obtain the constitutionally required resources needed to tackle governance and development issues effectively.
While introducing the bill, Yahaya Abdullahi, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Planning and Economic Affairs, emphasized the critical need for reforming the commission, especially given Nigeria’s declining revenue and increasing population.
He said, “The Act, last revised over 20 years ago, no longer reflects Nigeria’s evolving economic realities. This bill proposes additional funding and a restructured operational framework for the commission to improve its efficiency.”