3 weeks ago
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By Luminous Jannamike
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for granting statesmanlike pardons to dozens of convicted cause traffickers and smugglers, describing the determination arsenic ‘a nationalist disgrace’ that, successful its view, undermines Nigeria’s anti-drug run and damages the country’s planetary image.
In a connection connected Sunday signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said it believed the determination amounted to ‘an irresponsible use’ of the statesmanlike powerfulness of pardon, claiming that it could promote impunity and weaken motivation standards.
“The African Democratic Congress (ADC) finds arsenic pathetic and an enactment of immense nationalist disgrace the caller statesmanlike pardon and clemency granted to respective convicted criminals by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Abdullahi said.
The enactment argued that astir of the convicts granted clemency had served little than 2 years of their sentences for offences that pull beingness imprisonment, and questioned the criteria utilized successful granting the pardons.
“It amounts to a astir irresponsible usage of the statesmanlike prerogative of mercy to assistance explicit pardon to dozens of convicts held for cause trafficking, smuggling, and related offences, particularly erstwhile astir of these convicts person hardly served 2 years successful jailhouse for offences that transportation a punishment of beingness imprisonment,” Abdullahi stated.
The ADC besides expressed interest implicit authorities explanations that the beneficiaries had shown remorse and acquired skills portion successful prison, saying specified reasons whitethorn not warrant aboriginal clemency.
“Pardons and clemency are granted for their societal inferior and to close perceived miscarriages of justice, and to convicts who person paid their debts to society. But we wonderment what Nigeria stands to summation from this enactment of clemency to convicts serving beingness sentences who person hardly served 2 years,” the enactment said.
The absorption enactment warned that the determination could impact the morale of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and different information agencies whose unit hazard their lives to combat drug-related crimes crossed the country.
“Granting clemency to individuals convicted nether specified laws truthful challenges the precise instauration of Nigeria’s ineligible and motivation stance against narcotics and could undermine the efforts of officers warring the conflict against illicit drugs,” Abdullahi said.
He noted that Nigeria remains a large transit constituent for illicit drugs, with the country’s estimated cause usage prevalence astatine 14.4 per cent, astir 3 times the planetary average, and argued that the determination could person implications for nationalist wellness and security.
The ADC further said the pardons mightiness harm Nigeria’s planetary estimation and strain relationships with planetary partners successful the combat against cause trafficking.
“These pardons nonstop signals beyond Nigeria’s borders. They could impact our lasting among planetary partners successful the combat against cause trafficking and make the content that our state is not afloat committed to the planetary anti-drug campaign,” the ADC added.
The enactment urged the Federal Government to workout greater caution successful the usage of the statesmanlike prerogative of mercy and guarantee that specified actions align with the principles of justness and nationalist interest.
“We telephone connected the authorities to uphold transparency, accountability, and the regularisation of instrumentality successful the workout of specified delicate powers,” Abdullahi said.
The ADC reaffirmed its committedness to promoting justice, integrity, and liable governance successful Nigeria.
The station You can’t combat drugs and escaped traffickers – ADC slams Tinubu appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.
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