Former Senator Dino Melaye has condemned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to pardon dozens of convicted drug offenders, describing the move as a historic blunder that undermines Nigeria’s anti-narcotics efforts.
In a statement posted on his social media page on Sunday, Melaye said the president’s action has made ‘beautiful nonsense’ of the work of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), which has spent decades fighting the country’s drug crisis.
Melaye has joined others in raising concerns about the president’s pardon of 175 convicts and ex convicts. Recall Dockaysworld reported that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar also condemned the President’s pardon’s, stating that it sent the wrong message and was a misuse of power.
The African Democratic Congress(ADC), amongst other bodies have also pointed out certain persons on the list of pardons, drawing the attention of Nigerians to offenders including kidnappers, murderers and corrupt individuals.
Melaye’s statement reads:
“The pardon granted 70 drug lords by President Tinubu is unprecedented in history,” Melaye wrote. “Checks have revealed that it has never happened in the history of the world. My advice to the President is to scrap the NDLEA. His action has made a beautiful nonsense of all the efforts of the agency since inception.”
The former lawmaker and spokesperson for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Council said the decision sends a dangerous signal and could embolden criminal networks involved in drug trafficking.
