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The Nigerian Senate has proposed tougher penalties for drug trafficking, suggesting the death penalty as a new maximum sentence.
This would replace life imprisonment, which until now has been the most severe penalty.
Nigeria has gone from being a transit point to a major producer, consumer and distributor of illicit drugs.
Abuse of opioids, notably tramadol, and codeine-containing cough syrups is widespread. The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control banned codeine syrup in 2018.
While cannabis is grown locally, cocaine, methamphetamine and other drugs are trafficked, exacerbating addiction. The proposal, which stems from a Senate report, aims to deter traffickers by threatening them with execution.
However, some legislators are concerned about the irreversible nature of the death penalty and the risk of unjustified convictions.
The bill, previously passed by the House of Representatives without the death penalty provision, must be reconciled between the Senate and House versions before being submitted to the President.
