Tinubu asks senate to amend law on transfer of convicted offenders from non-Commonwealth countries

President Bola Tinubu has asked the senate to amend the law governing the transfer of convicted offenders between Nigeria and other countries to enable the implementation of agreements with non-Commonwealth nations.

In the letter, the president transmitted the Transfer of Convicted Offenders Enactment and Enforcement Amendment Bill 2026 to the senate for consideration.

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 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 said the bill would empower the Nigerian government to enter into agreements with other countries to transfer convicted offenders to Nigeria.

He also said it would enable Nigeria to honour similar requests from foreign governments, subject to the agreements’ terms.

The proposed legislation would empower the president, through an order published in the Federal Gazette, to apply the law to any country with which Nigeria has entered into an agreement.