State Govs have no powers to pardon terrorists — Lawyer, Deji Adeyanju

Abuja-based lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, says state governors donot have powers to pardon terrorists. In a statement on Thursday, Adeyanju condemned the practiceof some state governors granting amnesty to terrorists as part of non-kineticstrategies to address the country’s worsening security challenges. He insisted that such actions are unconstitutional andlegally invalid. This is coming following the rising insecurity acrossseveral states, especially in the North-West, North East and North-Centralzones, where banditry, mass kidnappings and terrorist attacks have persisteddespite sustained military operations. Reacting, some state governments adopted dialogue,negotiation and amnesty programmes, offering pardons, financial incentives andrehabilitation packages to armed groups in exchange for laying down theirweapons. Allegedly, states such as Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna and Nigerhave at various times explored or implemented some forms of amnesty ornegotiated settlements with bandit groups, often justifying the approach as apragmatic response to overstretched security forces and the humanitarian tollof prolonged violence. While proponents argue that the measures have led totemporary reductions in attacks in some areas, critics maintain that theinitiatives embolden criminal elements and undermine the rule of law. According to Adeyanju, beyond the policy debate, the actionsof state governors in granting amnesty to terrorists lack constitutionalbacking. “Under Section 212 of the Constitution of the FederalRepublic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, a governor’s power of pardon is limitedstrictly to offences created by laws of the state. Terrorism, however, is afederal offence governed by the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act andfalls squarely within matters of national security on the exclusive legislativelist,” he said.

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