Following to the death row of Nigerian drug traffickers
in china and Malaysia, senate raises alarm. The senators consequently urged the
Federal Government to
restructure and reposition the National Drug Law
Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, to be able to meet the challenges of evasive drug
traffickers who use Nigerians to traffic the illicit products. Owing to the
fact that Nigerians have constantly been a victim of these death execution in
different countries, The lawmakers asked the police, NDLEA, NAFDAC,
Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria, PCN, and other regulatory agencies to
develop a collaborative approach towards curbing the incidence of drug use and
abuse in the country. They, in addition, mandated the Committee on Drugs and
Narcotics to urgently consider the amendment of Section 23 of the PCN Act, to
include the sale of prescription pills over the counter as an offence
punishable by the Act.
Ashafa
disclosed that many Nigerian youths’ involvement in drug offences in some countries attract
capital punishment. Ashafa expressed concerns that in spite of the execution,
some desperate Nigerians were still not deterred. He said: “The case for
leniency was rendered impotent because, at that point, seven fresh cases of
drug trafficking involving Nigerians had just emerged in Indonesia.”
He stated that these desperate Nigerians used to
disguise as university students colluding with drug syndicates to undermine the
visa system and gain entrance into Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and other drug
traffic routes. According to him, 30 out of 80 foreign students arrested in
2015 were Nigerians in Malaysia where authorities have confirmed that 40 per
cent of foreigners arrested for drug offences are from Nigeria. Senator Ashafa
regretted that Nigerians’ involvement in drug business is tarnishing the image
of the country. “Our nationals are viewed with suspicion and subjected to
demeaning treatment at airports across the world as a result of this negative
perception.” The lawmaker chided the Federal Government for not taking serious
actions to curb the menace of drug couriers and their sponsors within and
outside the country. In their contributions, Senators Sam Anyanwu, Oluremi
Tinubu, Barau Jibrin and Ovie Omo- Agege also condemned the rate at which
Nigerian youths are involved in drug-related offences.
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