By Olugbenga Salami
President Bola Tinubu has asked the Senate to amend Nigeria’s prisoner transfer law to allow convicted offenders to be moved between Nigeria and non-Commonwealth countries.
The request is contained in the Transfer of Convicted Offenders (Enactment and Enforcement) Amendment Bill, 2026, transmitted to Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Tinubu forwarded the bill pursuant to Section 58(2) of the 1999 Constitution and urged the Senate to consider it expeditiously.
The bill seeks to amend Cap. T16, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, to give legal effect to prisoner-transfer agreements signed between Nigeria and other countries.
At present, the Act mainly covers Commonwealth nations, limiting Nigeria’s ability to implement transfer deals with non-Commonwealth countries.
The amendment would empower the President to extend the Act to any country with which Nigeria has a transfer agreement through an order published in the Federal Gazette.
If passed, it would create a legal pathway for Nigerians convicted abroad to serve their sentences at home, and for foreign nationals convicted in Nigeria to be transferred to their home countries.
“While it is my hope that the Senate will consider this submission expeditiously, please accept, Distinguished Senate President and Distinguished Senators, the assurances of my highest consideration,” Tinubu wrote.
The Senate President referred the request to the Committee on Legislative Compliance for further legislative process and to report back in one week.
