The Nigerian Senate has formally received an executive bill from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu seeking to amend existing legislation governing the transfer of convicted offenders, paving the way for bilateral prisoner-transfer agreements with non-Commonwealth countries.
The communication from the President was read during plenary by Senate President Godswill Akpabio. The legislative proposal, titled 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.
Key Highlights of the Bill:
- Expanding International Cooperation: The amendment broadens Nigeria’s judicial framework, enabling the Federal Government to operationalize prisoner transfer schemes and mutual agreements with countries outside the traditional Commonwealth network.
- Presidential Authority: The bill empowers the President to officially extend the application of the law to any partner foreign jurisdiction through an order published in the Federal Gazette once an agreement is finalized.
- Strict Case-by-Case Oversight: Transfers remain subject to strict eligibility criteria, treaty conditions, and the mutual consent of both nations, ensuring that Nigerian citizens jailed abroad and foreign nationals convicted in Nigeria can serve remaining sentences closer to home under established frameworks.
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