Drug trafficking in Nigeria is a very serious offense, and can result in lengthy prison sentences and severe financial consequences. However, these penalties can vary widely depending on the circumstances of the case, the location where the offender was caught, and other actions they’ve taken – such as selling drugs or employing kids in the distribution or sale of drugs.
In this blog from Gallant Military Info, we will examine the penalties for drug trafficking in Nigeria and related information to provide you with more information on what charges may be brought against suspected drug traffickers.
What Is Drug Trafficking?
Drug trafficking is an outlawed trade, where drugs under legal prohibition are made available for general consumption.
It takes series of processes such as production, cultivation, manufacture, procurement, storage, importation, exportation, transportation, distribution, offering for sale, dealing in, peddling in and sale of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances under international control (NDLEA, 2010; Adeniyi, 2011).
The illicit drug trade is an organized transnational criminal activity, which cut across different countries of the world. Why few of the nations are source countries, others like Nigeria are transit and consumption countries.
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Penalties For Drug Trafficking In Nigeria
In the government’s fight on the war on drugs, they have enacted severe penalties under federal law for drug-related offenses, such as drug trafficking described under Section 11 and 12 of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act.
This type of serious drug crime is under the jurisdiction of the federal government and is often investigated by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Section 11 and 12 of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act contains several specific provisions relating to drug trafficking, and the government can use any of them to charge you:
Section 11 ; Importation, etc., of cocaine, heroine, or similar drugs etc. Any person who, without lawful authority:-
- a. Imports, manufactures, produces, processes, plants or grows the drugs popularly known as cocaine. LSD, heroine or any other similar drugs shall be guilty of an offence and liable onconviction to be sentenced to imprisonment for life: or
- b. Export, transports or otherwise traffics in the drugs popularly known as cocaine, LSD heroine or any other similar drugs shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to be sentenced to imprisonment for life.
- c. Sells, buys, exposes or offers for sale or otherwise deals in or with the drugs popularly known as cocaine. LSD heroine or any other similar drugs shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to be sentenced to imprisonment for life: or
- d. Knowingly possesses or uses the drugs popularly known as cocaine. LSD heroine or any other similar drugs by smoking inhaling or injecting the said drugs shall be guilty of an offence on conviction to imprisonment for a term not less than fifteen years but not exceeding 25 years.
Section 12 ; Occupier unlawfully permitting use of premises
Any person, who being the occupier or is concerned in the management of any premises, unlawfully permits or causes the premises to be used for the purpose of storing, concealing processing or dealing in the drug popularly known as cocaine. LSD, heroine or any other similar drug shall be guilty of an
offence under this Act and liable on conviction to be sentenced to imprisonment for a term onto exceeding 25 years.
The Act further punishes conspiracy, inducement, promising, aiding, abetting, counseling, attempting and being an accessory to the offence with imprisonment for a term not below 15 years and not more than 25 years.
