Rights Commission Seeks Pardon for Abba Kyari

The International Human Rights Commission (IHRC) in Nigeria has called on President Bola Tinubu to grant a conditional presidential pardon to suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari.

The commission made this appeal through a statement issued by its Head of Diplomatic Mission in Nigeria, Duru Hezekiah, on Friday,  August 1, in Abuja.

It urged the president to consider national security concerns as insecurity continues to rise across the country.

According to Hezekiah, the appeal stems from the need to strengthen national security amid escalating terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and organised crime.

He also proposed a national dialogue to build public and institutional support for a strategic, conditional clemency.

The IHRC clarified that its position does not seek to undermine the judiciary or influence Kyari’s ongoing prosecution.

Instead, the commission is advocating for a forward-looking, constitutionally backed approach that balances justice with national interest.

“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.

Citing Section 175 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the IHRC highlighted the president’s power to grant pardons or reprieves.

The organisation also referenced international precedents where convicted individuals with security expertise have been rehabilitated under legal frameworks.

“In the U.S., plea deals have been offered in exchange for intelligence. In some African nations, ex-warlords received conditional amnesties to enable peace.

Even convicted hackers have been recruited to improve cybersecurity,” the statement added.

The IHRC emphasised that conditional clemency should not be mistaken for forgiveness.

It stressed that such a move could transform Kyari into a strategic asset in Nigeria’s fight against crime if carried out transparently and with public oversight.

The group encouraged stakeholders legal experts, civil society, human rights defenders, and policymakers to begin a national conversation on how to align justice with security and peacebuilding.

Kyari was once praised as Nigeria’s top anti-crime officer, having led major crackdowns on kidnapping rings and terrorist networks.

His fall came in 2022 after his indictment in a cocaine trafficking case and subsequent prosecution by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

For Diaspora Digital Media Updates click on Whatsapp, or Telegram. For eyewitness accounts/ reports/ articles, write to: citizenreports@diasporadigitalmedia.com. Follow us on X (Fomerly Twitter) or Facebook