•Says it now knows why President rejected NDLEA Amendment Bill

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), a prominent pro-democracy and civil rights advocacy group, on Sunday condemned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government “for granting presidential pardons to hard drug traffickers, murderers, fraudsters.”

HURIWA in a statement signed by the National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, said: “The fact that over 60 out of the 175 beneficiaries of the presidential pardons are drug traffickers now explains why president Tinubu rejected a bill to amend the NDLEA Act to grant it funding autonomy.”

The rights group alleged that President Tinubu “has manifested his lacklustre attitudes towards waging aggressive counter narcotics war in Nigeria by the recent strange pardons to hard drug traffickers only few months after he jettisoned a well-researched and highly respected Amendment to the NDLEA Act in June of this year.”

HURIWA noted that the following were the drug traffickers pardoned by President Tinubu in the recent granting of presidential pardons under the prerogative of mercy:

PRESIDENTIAL CLEMENCY

1. Aluagwu Lawrence, aged 47, sentenced for Indian hemp (selling), 2015

2. Ben Friday, aged 60, was sentenced to 3 years or N1.3 million fine for marijuana in 2023

3. Oroke Micheal Chibueze, aged 21, sentenced to 5 years (cannabis sativa) in 2023

4. Kelvin Christopher Smith, aged 42, was sentenced to 4 years for importing cocaine in 2023

5. Azubuike Jeremiah Emeka, aged 31, sentenced in 2021 to 5 years or N3 million fine for importing cocaine

6. Akinrinnade Akinwande Adebiyi, aged 47, sentenced in 2023 to 3 years for dealing in Tramadol

7. Ahmed Adeyemo, aged 38, sentenced to 15 years for cannabis. Already served nine years, 5 months at Kirikiri

8. Adeniyi Jimoh, aged 31 years, sentenced to 15 years for Drugs in 2015 and served nine years at Kirikiri

9. Seun Omirinde, aged 39, sentenced to 15 years for Drugs in 2015. Served nine years at Kirikiri

10. Fidelis Michael, aged 40, sentenced to 5 years for cannabis sativa

11. Suru Akande, aged 52, sentenced to 5 years for cannabis sativa

12. Safiyanu Umar, aged 56, sentenced to 5 years without the option of a fine for possessing 5 kg of cannabis sativa, 2023

13. Hamza Abubakar, aged 37, sentenced to 5 years for Indian hemp (selling), 2022

14. Mujibu Muhammad, aged 30, sentenced in 2022 to 5 years, no option for a fine for cannabis

15. Emmanuel Eze, aged 49, sentenced in 2022 to 5 years for heroin

16. Bala Azika Yahaya, aged 70, sentenced in 2017 to 15 years for cannabis

17. Buhari Sani, aged 33, sentenced in 2022 to 5 years for possession of 558 grams of cannabis

18. Mohammed Musa, aged 27, was sentenced in 2022 to 5 years for possession of 16 grams of cannabis

19. Muharazu Abubakar, aged 37, sentenced in 2022 to 5 years for selling Indian hemp. Already spent 3 years in Katsina Prison

20. Ibrahim Yusuf, aged 34; jailed 5 years in 2022 for possession of 5.7 grams of Indian hemp

21. Lina Kusum Wilson, aged 34, sentenced to death in 2017 for culpable homicide, had spent eight years in jail

22. Ex-Corporal Michael Bawa, aged 72: sentenced to life imprisonment for murder in 2005. Had spent 20 years in Kaduna prison

23. Richard Ayuba, aged 38. Sentenced to 5 years in 2022 for Indian hemp

24. Adam Abubakar, aged 30 and sentenced in 2022 to five years for possession of 2 kg of tramadol

25. Emmanuel Yusuf, aged 34; sentenced in 2022 to 4 years for possession of 2 kg of tramadol

26. Edwin Nnazor, aged 60; sentenced in 2018 to 15 years for cannabis. Had spent 6 years, nine months at Zamfara prison

27. Joseph Nwanoka, aged 42: sentenced in 2022 to five years for drugs

28. Nsikat Edet Harry, aged 37, sentenced in 2023 to 5 years for illegal possession of Indian hemp, cocaine & heroin

29. Jonathan Asuquo, aged 28, sentenced in 2022 to 5 years for possession of Indian hemp & other drugs

30. Abiodun Elemero, aged 43. Sentenced to life imprisonment for cocaine hawking in 2014. Had spent 10 years plus in Kirikiri

31. Maryam Sanda, aged 37, was sentenced to death in 2020 for culpable homicide and had spent six years, eight months at Suleja Medium Security Custodial Centre

*List of inmates recommended for reduced term of imprisonment*

1. Yusuf Owolabi, aged 36. Sentenced to life in 2015 for manslaughter. Had spent 10 years at Kirikiri. Prison term reduced to 12 years

2. Ifeanyi Eze, aged 33. Sentenced to life in 2021 for manslaughter and had spent four years at Kirikiri. Prison term reduced to 12 years

3. Ajasper Benzeger, aged 69 and sentenced in 2015 to 20 years for culpable homicide. Sentence reduced to 12 years, based on old age and ill-health

4. Ifenna Kennechukwu, aged 42. Sentenced in 2015 to 20 years for drugs (cocaine import) and had spent close to 10 years in Kirikiri. Prison term reduced to 12 years

5. Mgbeike Matthew, aged 45. Sentenced to 20 years in 2013 for the import of 3.10 kg. Following remorsefulness and the acquisition of vocational skills at Kirikiri. Sentence reduced to 12 years

6. Patrick Mensah, aged 40. Sentenced in 2015 to 17 years for drugs. Sentence reduced to 11 years

7. Obi Edwin Chukwu, aged 43 and sentenced in 2017 to 15 years for drugs. Sentence reduced to 10 years

8. Tunde Balogun, aged 32 and sentenced in 2015 to 15 years for drugs. Sentence reduced to 10 years

9. Lima Pereira Erick Diego, aged 27 and sentenced in 2017 to 15 years or a fine of N20 million for drugs. Sentence reduced to 10 years

10. Uchegbu Emeka Michael, aged 37. Sentenced in 2017 to 15 years or a fine of N20 million for drugs. Sentence reduced to 10 years

11. Salawu Adebayo Samsudeen, aged 46 and sentenced in 2016 to 15 years for drugs. Sentence reduced to 10 years

12. Napolo Osariemen, aged 61 and sentenced in 2022 to 15 years for 2 kilos of Indian hemp. The sentence was reduced to seven years

13. Odeyemi Omolaram, aged 65 and sentenced in 2017 to 25 years in prison for drugs. Sentence reduced to 12 years based on the defendant’s remorsefulness and advanced age

14. Gabriel Juliet Chidimma, aged 32 and sentenced in 2022 to six years for drug (cocaine). Sentence reduced to four years

15. Dias Santos Marcia Christiana, aged 44 and sentenced in 2017 to 15 years for import of cocaine. Sentence reduced to 10 years

16. Isaac Justina, aged 40. Sentenced in 2022 to 10 years for cannabis sativa and had spent 3 years in the Abeokuta Custodial Centre. Sentence reduced to four years

17. Aishat Kehinde, aged 38 and sentenced in 2022 to five years for unlawful possession of cannabis. The prison term being served in Abeokuta has been reduced to four years

18. Helen Solomon, age 68. Sentenced in 2024 to five years for cannabis sativa. Sentence reduced to three years

19. Okoye Tochukwu, aged 43 and sentenced in 2024 to six years for cannabis sativa. Sentence reduced to 3 years

20. Ugwueze Paul, aged 38 and sentenced in 2024 to six years for cannabis sativa. Sentence reduced to three years

21. Alh. Abubakar Tanko, aged 61, was sentenced in 2018 to 30 years at the Gusau Custodial Centre for culpable homicide. Sentence reduced to 20 years

22. Innocent Brown Idiong, aged 60, sentenced in 2020 to 10 years for possession of 700 grams of Indian hemp. Has already spent 4 years and 3 months at Ikot Abasi Custodial Centre. Jail term reduced to six years

23. Chukwukelu Sunday Calisthus, aged 47 and sentenced in 2014 to life at Kuje Custodial Centre for drugs. He had spent 11 years at Kuje. Sentence reduced to 13 years

24. Markus Yusuf, aged 41. Sentenced in 2023 to 13 years for culpable homicide. Sentence reduced to 5 years based on ill-health

25. Samson Ajayi, aged 31 and sentenced in 2022 to 15 years for drugs. He had spent five years at Suleja Custodial Centre. The sentence was reduced to seven years

26. Iyabo Binyoyo, aged 49. Sentenced in 2017 to 10 years for drugs and sentenced to nine years at Suleja Custodial Centre, due to good conduct

27. Nriagu Augustine Ifeanyi, aged 44 and sentenced in 2018 to 10 years in Ikoyi Custodial Centre, for exporting cocaine. The sentence was reduced to eight years

28. Chukwudi Destiny, aged 36 and sentenced in 2022 to six years in Ikoyi Custodial Centre for heroin import. The sentence was cut to four years

29. Felix Rotimi Esemokhai, aged 47 and sentenced in 2022 to five years for heroin. The sentence was reduced to four years

30. John Ibiam, aged 39, was sentenced in 2016 to 15 years for manslaughter and served 9 years and one month in the Afikpo Custodial Centre. The sentence was reduced to 10 years after the individual showed remorse and acquired vocational skills

31. Omoka Aja, aged 40 and sentenced in 2016 to 15 years for manslaughter, served 9 years and 1 month in Afikpo Custodial Centre. The sentence was commuted to 10 years

*List of inmates on death row reduced to life imprisonment*

1. Emmanuel Baba, aged 38: sentenced to death in 2017 for culpable homicide. On death row in Kuje Custodial Centre for the past 8 years. The sentence was commuted to life imprisonment based on good conduct and remorsefulness

2. Emmanuel Gladstone, aged 45, was sentenced in 2020 to death for murder and had spent five years at Katsina Custodial Centre. Death sentence commuted to life imprisonment due to good conduct and remorse

3. Moses Ayodele Olurunfemi, aged 51: sentenced to death in 2012 for culpable homicide and had spent 13 years on death row in Katsina. President Tinubu commuted the death sentence to life imprisonment

4. Abubakar Usman, aged 59: sentenced to death in 2014 and had spent 14 years on death row in Katsina. His sentence was commuted to life because of his remorse and good conduct

5. Khalifa Umar, aged 37: sentenced to death in 2014 and had spent 11 years on death row in Kano Custodial Centre. His sentence has been commuted to life imprisonment

6. Benjamin Ekeze, age 40: sentenced to death in 2017 for armed robbery and conspiracy, and had spent 12 years on death row at Kirikiri, Lagos. The sentence was also commuted to life

7. Mohammed Umar, aged 43: sentenced to death in 2018 for culpable homicide and had spent seven years on death row in Onitsha Custodial Centre. He got the Presidential reprieve, commuting the death sentence to life imprisonment.

HURIWA in the statement also strongly condemned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s refusal to sign into law the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Amendment Bill, 2025, describing the President’s rationale as disingenuous, counterproductive, and a clear contradiction of his professed commitment to fighting drug abuse and trafficking in Nigeria.

In a stinging reaction to the President’s decision, HURIWA said that President Tinubu’s justification—anchored on a narrow interpretation of financial regulations—lacks moral consistency, especially when compared with his administration’s selective adherence to those same regulations in other sectors of government.

According to the letter read at the plenary session of the House of Representatives on Thursday, the President declined to assent to the bill on the grounds that it seeks to empower the NDLEA to retain a portion of the proceeds recovered from drug-related crimes. Tinubu argued that all such funds should, by law, be remitted to the government’s Confiscated and Forfeited Properties Account, with disbursements to any recovery agency—NDLEA inclusive—only permitted upon presidential approval and subject to the consent of the Federal Executive Council and the National Assembly.

But HURIWA is questioning the sincerity of this logic.

“If the Tinubu administration can look the other way while the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, openly violates the Treasury Single Account (TSA) policy by keeping back internally generated revenue for arbitrary use—without presidential or legislative scrutiny—then why must NDLEA be shackled under rigid bureaucracy from accessing urgently needed operational funds?” asked Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, National Coordinator of HURIWA.

“It is an insult to national intelligence that political considerations—like the 2027 elections—may be influencing the decision to allow the FCT Administration to withhold public funds from the TSA, yet the same presidency cites ‘financial regulations’ to block NDLEA from retaining a legitimate share of proceeds from the very crimes it battles daily. This is hypocrisy at its worst.”

HURIWA noted that the amended NDLEA bill was passed after rigorous legislative scrutiny in both the Senate and House of Representatives and was designed to give the agency financial autonomy and operational latitude to intensify its war against narcotics. The group argued that denying NDLEA the capacity to retain a portion of recovered criminal proceeds not only weakens the agency but emboldens drug cartels who are constantly adapting with superior funding and international networks.

“Drug trafficking is not just a criminal problem—it’s a national security crisis. It fuels terrorism, funds violent criminal gangs, destabilizes communities, and ruins the lives of Nigeria's youth,” HURIWA said.

The association lauded the groundbreaking strides made by the NDLEA under the leadership of Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), who has transformed the agency into a proactive and globally respected institution. Under Marwa’s leadership, NDLEA has recorded the seizure of thousands of tons of illicit drugs, the arrest and prosecution of high-profile drug barons, and the destruction of several drug trafficking networks. Equally commendable are the agency’s rehabilitation initiatives and mass awareness campaigns which are restoring hope to millions of drug victims across the country.

“The achievements of the NDLEA under President Tinubu’s tenure are some of the few bright spots of this administration. Yet, instead of building on this momentum, Mr. President is placing bureaucratic hurdles in the path of the agency’s success,” HURIWA lamented.

The rights group warned that blocking the NDLEA from accessing a share of recovered proceeds for operational use may lead to severe funding gaps, undermine ongoing investigations, and embolden transnational criminal cartels to regain lost ground. It noted that time-sensitive operations often require instant deployment of resources—resources which cannot wait for months-long bureaucratic approvals from the Federal Executive Council.

“This government must realize that the war on drugs is a war that Nigeria cannot afford to lose. Every delay, every political calculation, and every misplaced priority allows traffickers to regroup and young Nigerians to fall victim,” HURIWA said.

It further argued that the retention clause in the NDLEA Amendment Bill is not unique or without precedent. Globally, several anti-narcotics and law enforcement agencies are allowed to retain a percentage of recovered criminal proceeds for the purpose of enhancing operational capabilities. These models of resource retention have been hailed as effective and are supported by international best practices.

“The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), and similar institutions globally operate under funding systems that include the retention of seized criminal proceeds. These mechanisms are built into anti-drug laws to ensure sustained operational efficiency, independence, and speed,” HURIWA emphasized.

The group therefore called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately recall the NDLEA Amendment Bill, review his decision, and give presidential assent without further delay.

“If President Tinubu wishes to be remembered as a leader who fought tirelessly to rid Nigeria of the scourge of hard drugs and protect generations of youth from annihilation, then he must sign the NDLEA bill into law now and without conditions,” HURIWA concluded.

The association also urged the National Assembly to not allow this bill to be buried, but rather re-transmit it with overwhelming public backing and possibly override the President’s veto if he remains obstinate.

“The NDLEA cannot fight billion-dollar cartels with empty hands while politicians stash funds illegally. This bill is a litmus test of President Tinubu’s sincerity on national security and youth development. The time to act is now,” HURIWA said.