AFRICA

UNODC To Nigerian Lawmakers: Capital Punishment to Drug Offenders May Not Reduce Level of Crime

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has said that the move by the Nigeria’s Senate to give capital punishment to drug trafficking offenders may add little or nothing to reducing the crime.

Country Representative, UNODC, Oliver Stolpe, gave the verdict at a two-day Media Personnel Training on Ant-Corruption, Police Accountability, Wildlife Crime and Sensitization on Drugs Prevention, Treatment and Care, (DPTC), organized by the UNODC, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and other partners, on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said: “The deterrent effect of death penalty has never convincingly be proven. There is no proof of the effectiveness of death penalty.

“Our stance as UN is clear on the death penalty we are principally and categorically against it. And from a very practical viewpoint, I have to say, it doesn’t make sense,” he said.

Stolpe insisted that the UN has always advocated for clear distinction between crimes of drug trafficking as opposed to the issue of drug use which it considers primarily to be a health issue,”and that should be dealt with as such. addiction is a health condition, it is not a choice.”

On the need for an updated drug data for Nigerians, he observed that the current national drug survey for Nigeria was last done six years ago, (2018), and therefore does not reflect the current situation for Nigeria.

He noted that: “The drug use survey of 2018 remains as far as I can tell the most cited study in the media, this data is outdated and I think a very critical question that media could ask at that point is really well, how can we still refer to 2018 data to describe today’s levels of drug use?

Speaking on the importance of the training,, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA), Brigadier General Buba Marwa, (Retired), said the media remains an indispensable partner in Nigeria’s drug war .

Represented by the Secretary NDLEA, Shedrach Haruna, he said “For us in NDLEA, the media is a valued partner on whom we rely to foster a friendly ecosystem that aids anti-illicit drug abuse and trafficking in society.

“This is well-thought training for media professionals, given that the media is a crucial link between the public and law enforcement and a potent tool for the entrenchment of transparency and accountability in the law enforcement process.”

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

Follow us on:

AriseNews

Recent Posts

Simon Ekpa Arrested, Denies Being IPOB Leader + Atiku Says Tinubu’s Loans Are Bone-Crushing – Trending With Ojy Okpe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFlFl1mPGC8 The arrest of self-proclaimed Prime minister of the Biafra Republic, Simon Ekpa who was…

27 mins ago

Gatwick Airport South Terminal Evacuated, Bomb Disposal Team Deployed Suspicious Item Found In Luggage

Gatwick Airport's South Terminal was evacuated after a suspected prohibited item was found, prompting bomb…

39 mins ago

Trump Considers Kevin Warsh for Treasury Secretary, Role Of Chairman Of Federal Reserve

Trump is considering Kevin Warsh for Treasury Secretary, with a future possibility of him becoming…

3 hours ago

Hyundai Recalls 145,235 Electrified Vehicles In The US Due To Power Loss Issue

Hyundai has recalled 145,235 electrified vehicles in the US. due to potential loss of drive…

3 hours ago

‘We’re Going to Begin to License Actors’, Says AGN President in A Bid For Standardisation

AGN president Rollas has stressed the need for actor licensing to ensure fair compensation and…

3 hours ago

EU Closes Antitrust Investigation Into Apple’s App Store Rules After Complaint Withdrawal

EU regulators has closed a four-year investigation into Apple's App Store rules after the complainant…

4 hours ago