The International Human Rights Commission (IHRC) has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to consider granting a presidential pardon to the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, citing growing national security concerns.
The request was conveyed in a statement released Friday in Abuja by the IHRC’s Head of Diplomatic Mission in Nigeria, Duru Hezekiah.
According to Hezekiah, the call for clemency is driven by Nigeria’s worsening security situation, marked by increased incidents of terrorism, kidnapping, organised crime, and armed banditry.
The commission also suggested a national dialogue to engage the public and key stakeholders on the possibility of a strategic, conditional pardon for Kyari.
“Our position is not to circumvent justice or interfere with legal processes. Rather, we urge a future-focused, constitutionally grounded approach that recognises the tactical value of experienced security personnel, if found eligible under the law and subject to public accountability,” the statement read.
While stressing respect for the ongoing judicial process, the IHRC clarified that its appeal is not meant to influence court rulings, but rather to advocate for a broader view of national interest, particularly in a scenario where clemency could be considered after trial proceedings.
The organisation referenced Section 175 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which empowers the president to issue pardons and reprieves, as a legal basis for such action.
“Globally, there are precedents where convicted individuals with valuable operational expertise have been reintegrated into national service through conditional frameworks under strict legal and ethical oversight.”
“In the United States, law enforcement agencies have regularly offered plea bargains or deferred sentencing in exchange for intelligence or cooperation.”
“Former hackers have been recruited by governments to assist in cybersecurity defences. In post-conflict African states, ex-warlords have been granted conditional amnesties to enable peace and stability,” the IHRC added.
The organisation emphasized that a conditional pardon should not be mistaken for absolution or impunity but rather understood as a “pragmatic tool of national security strategy.”
“A conditional pardon for Kyari, subject to public accountability could transform a controversial figure into a rehabilitated asset in Nigeria’s fight against crime,” the commission said.
The IHRC added that President Tinubu is in a strong position to initiate such a transformative step, especially with public backing.
“Let this be a defining moment where justice, constitutionality, and national interest align to restore peace and confidence in our security architecture.”
“We are not advocating impunity. We propose a rehabilitative, oversight-driven reintegration process that prioritises public interest and national security particularly if trial timing renders conventional justice measures impractical.”
The IHRC also called on civil society groups, legal experts, human rights advocates, and national security stakeholders to begin constructive dialogue on balancing justice with national resilience.
“This is a call for strategic statecraft, not political favouritism. In times of national crisis, justice must be both redemptive and corrective.
If used wisely, conditional clemency can serve as a bridge between law enforcement accountability and long-term peacebuilding.”
Once praised as one of Nigeria’s most effective anti-crime officers, Abba Kyari led several high-profile operations against kidnappers, drug cartels, and terrorist cells.
However, his career was derailed in 2022, following a cocaine trafficking indictment and ongoing prosecution by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) over allegations of criminal conspiracy and misconduct.
