Tinubu Seeks Law to Bring Nigerians Convicted Abroad Home to Serve Jail Terms

* President transmits amendment bill to Senate, seeks framework for prisoner transfers under bilateral agreements * Senate orders probe of travel agencies over suspected human trafficking networks in Libya Sunday Aborisade in Abuja President Bola Tinubu has asked the Senate to amend the law governing the transfer of convicted offenders, seeking to empower Nigeria to enter into agreements with foreign governments to enable eligible Nigerians convicted abroad to serve their prison sentences at home. The proposed legislation, known as the Transfer of Convicted Offenders Enactment and Enforcement Amendment Bill 2026, seeks to amend the Transfer of Convicted Offenders Enactment and Enforcement Act, Cap 216, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. Tinubu transmitted the bill to the Senate in a letter read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary on Tuesday. The president explained that the proposed amendment would provide a legal framework for Nigeria to enter into agreements with other countries for the transfer of convicted offenders, while also enabling the country to honour similar requests from foreign governments under mutually agreed conditions. In the letter, Tinubu said the bill sought to give effect to agreements between Nigeria and other countries on the transfer of convicted persons. He stated: “The Transfer of Convicted Offenders Enactment and Enforcement Amendment Bill 2026 seeks to amend the Transfer of Convicted Offenders Enactment and Enforcement Act, Act Cap 216, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004, to give effect to the provisions of any scheme or agreement for the transfer of convicted offenders between the Federal Government of Nigeria and the government of any other country.” The president further explained that the proposed amendment would empower him to extend the application of the law to countries with which Nigeria had entered into relevant agreements through an order published in the Federal Gazette. According to him, the provision would facilitate the implementation of prisoner-transfer arrangements, particularly with countries outside the Commonwealth. After reading the president’s letter, Akpabio referred the bill to the Senate Committee on Rules and Business for further legislative consideration. The proposed amendment comes amid several high-profile cases involving Nigerians convicted by foreign courts, including former public officials and political figures. Among them is former Delta State Governor James Ibori, who was sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment in the United Kingdom in 2012 after pleading guilty to money-laundering offences. He was released in 2016. Former Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu was sentenced to nine years and eight months’ imprisonment in the UK in 2023 over his role in an organ-trafficking conspiracy involving a young man. Similarly, Abidemi Rufai, a former aide to Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment in the United States in 2022 for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Nigeria and the United Kingdom already have a prisoner-transfer arrangement that allows eligible prisoners to serve their sentences in their home countries, subject to applicable legal requirements and the agreement of both governments. The proposed amendment seeks to strengthen the domestic legal framework for implementing similar arrangements with countries outside the Commonwealth. However, the proposed legislation would not automatically entitle every Nigerian convicted abroad to return home to serve a sentence. Any transfer would depend on the terms of the relevant agreement, the eligibility of the prisoner and the applicable legal conditions. Meanwhile, the Senate has directed a comprehensive investigation into suspected human-trafficking networks and travel agencies allegedly connected to the trafficking, exploitation and abuse of Nigerians in Libya. The resolution followed the adoption of a report on the urgent need to protect Nigerians from trafficking, slavery and other human rights abuses in the North African country. Presenting the report on behalf of the joint committees on Diaspora, Judiciary, Foreign Affairs and Special Duties, Senator Anthony Yaro, representing Gombe South, said the committees had consulted relevant stakeholders, received memoranda and examined the circumstances surrounding the abuses before making their recommendations. He said the recommendations were designed to strengthen Nigeria’s institutional response to human trafficking, improve the protection of victims and disrupt criminal networks responsible for exploiting vulnerable Nigerians. The motion for the consideration and adoption of the report received the support of Senator Victor Umeh, representing Anambra Central. In its resolutions, the Senate called for stronger enforcement of existing anti-trafficking laws, increased funding for the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and other relevant agencies, and a comprehensive investigation into suspected trafficking networks and their associated travel agencies. The lawmakers also called for the establishment of a national reintegration and protection programme for returning victims of trafficking. They recommended that the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons coordinate the programme in collaboration with NAPTIP and other relevant institutions to ensure that returning victims received appropriate protection and support. The Senate further urged the Federal Government to intensify diplomatic engagement with Libya through bilateral and multilateral channels to combat trafficking and promote safe and legal migration. Contributing to the debate, Senator Neda Imasuen, representing Edo South, said the country’s major challenge was not the absence of laws against human trafficking but the failure to enforce existing legislation effectively and hold offenders accountable. Imasuen’s position underscored concerns about the gap between Nigeria’s legal framework and the effective prosecution of individuals and networks involved in trafficking and exploitation. In his remarks, Akpabio called for stronger deterrent measures against perpetrators of serious crimes, arguing that laws must carry sufficient consequences to discourage criminal conduct. Recalling his tenure as governor of Akwa Ibom State, the Senate president said he had signed an anti-kidnapping law prescribing the death penalty and the forfeiture of property where a kidnapped victim was found. He also advocated a strict Know-Your-Tenant policy, arguing that landlords should be able to provide information about their tenants when crimes were committed. Akpabio warned that landlords who failed to provide relevant information could face questions over their possible complicity in criminal activities. As part of its resolutions, the Senate directed NAPTIP to work with the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Immigration Service, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to investigate identified travel agencies. The agencies are expected to interrogate their directors, officers and agents to establish the extent of their involvement, if any, in recruitment networks, financial transactions and travel arrangements connected to the trafficking and exploitation of Nigerians abroad. The investigation is expected to help identify the individuals and organisations facilitating the movement of victims, expose the financial channels sustaining trafficking operations and strengthen measures to prevent further exploitation. The Senate’s resolutions also placed renewed emphasis on victim protection, the reintegration of returning Nigerians and diplomatic cooperation with Libya, alongside stronger law enforcement against suspected traffickers.