If The President Can Pardon Drug Convicts, Then Scrap the NDLEA – Obi of Onitsha’s Stark Challenge to Nigeria’s Anti-Drug Fight.

By George Omagbemi Sylvester, for saharaweeklyng.com

“No point locking thieves or drug barons if mercy crowns the crime” – ROYALTY THUNDERS.

In a searing declaration that strips away politeness and dances unwelcome truths into daylight, the Obi of Onitsha has asked, if the President can pardon 50 (or more) convicted drug offenders, then what is the point of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)? “No need arresting thieves again,” he thundered. His question is not rhetorical. It cuts to the heart of Nigeria’s anti-narcotics effort, to the foundations of our justice system and to the future of our youth.

What the monarch articulates is more than frustration; it is a systemic alarm. For decades the NDLEA has been one of the few agencies in Nigeria still commanding public respect for confronting the scourge of drug abuse and trafficking. Now, the state’s chief executive, via the exercise of the constitutional prerogative of mercy, has seemingly pulled the rug from under that agency’s message, that crime has consequences.

This WRITE-UP leaves no stone unturned. We examine the facts, the context, the risk, the voices of reason and the consequences for our nation. With strong language, uncompromising tone and 100% accurate referencing, the case is laid bare.

The Facts: What Has Happened.
On 13 October 2025, it was reported that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu granted clemency to 175 individuals convicted of various offences, including drug trafficking, murder and illegal mining.

Among them was 28 drug traffickers (in one report) out of the total list.

Another report puts drug‐related offenders at about 29% of the total pardoned.

Nigeria’s drug use epidemic is well-documented. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Nigeria survey, 14.4% of Nigerians aged 15–64 (about 14.3 million people) had used psychoactive substances in the previous year. That figure is almost three times the global average of 5.5%.

The NDLEA, under leadership such as that of retired Brig-Gen Buba Marwa, has claimed major successes. Between 2021–2024 about 57,792 arrests were made and almost 10 million kg of hard drugs seized.

Civil-society organisations immediately condemned the pardon. For example:
The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) described the move as “legally questionable, morally wrong and damaging to Nigeria’s image both locally and internationally.”

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) called the pardon of drug traffickers “A NATIONAL DISGRACE” that encourages crime.

In short, while one arm of the state (NDLEA) is aggressively hunting drug offenders, another arm (the Presidency) is releasing them, some in substantial numbers. This creates an incoherent message and a system at risk of collapse.

The Monarch’s Provocative, Yet Inevitable Question.
The Obi of Onitsha (representing traditional authority and moral voice) invoked a brutal logic:
“If the president can pardon drug convicts, then there’s no need for NDLEA. No need arresting thieves or punishing anyone again.”

This is not haphazard rhetoric but a reflection of the cognitive dissonance in Nigeria’s criminal justice architecture. The logic is if the executive has the power to nullify the punitive effect of convictions for serious offences like drug trafficking, then the deterrence imperative is destroyed.

In essence, the monarch is saying, you cannot do one thing and then undo it with the other. You cannot applaud NDLEA for seizures and convictions, then turn around and forgive those very same kinds of offenders. Nigerian youth watch. Law-enforcement officers feel the shift in gravity. Criminal networks take note.

Why This Matters: The Stakes Are High.
A. The Youth Crisis.
More than 14% of adults in Nigeria are documented as having used illicit substances. That means the pool of vulnerable youth is enormous.

When the message is sent that trafficking or abusing drugs can end in a presidential hug, the moral deterrent collapses. Scholar J.A. Olanrewaju writes “The number of drug users in Nigeria is estimated at 14.4%, the report presents clearly the grave negative consequences on health, socio‐economic and security of our nation.”

B. The Credibility of Enforcement.
If NDLEA invests years, manpower and resources to dismantle cartels and convict criminals, but the office of the presidency effectively says “we forgive,” then the incentive structure flips. NDLEA chair Marwa himself warned the agency would pursue traffickers “without fear or favour.” But what value does that pledge hold when the very top of government exercises clemency on similar offenders?

C. International Reputation & Implications.
Nigeria’s partner agencies (UNODC, the US DEA, INTERPOL) observe not only activity, but commitment. When the country loosens the supervisory chain over traffickers via mass pardons, it jeopardises mutual legal assistance, extradition treaties, asset-forfeiture regimes and the country’s rating as a partner in global anti-narcotics efforts. CISLAC stated; “Pardoning individuals convicted for drug trafficking sends the wrong signal to Nigeria’s international partners and undermines the credibility of our justice system.”

D. The Message to Criminals.
As the Obi put it, the signal becomes: “Crime pays, as long as you know the right people.” Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar wrote of the pardon. “The decision not only diminishes the sanctity of justice, but also sends a dangerous signal to the public and the international community about the values this government upholds.”

When criminals believe the worst they face is a few years followed by a presidential pardon, why risk their networks? Why not expand them?

Legal & Constitutional Considerations.
Yes; the presidency is empowered by Section 175 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution to grant the prerogative of mercy.

Though experts argue; this power was designed for selective, exceptional cases, not blanket pardon of categories that undermine national security. According to legal practitioner Joel Ighalo:
“If you are a state prosecutor you must go through the list to see if the President released the person you spent several months, probably years, in court, trying to put away in prison. This is a BASTARDISATION of the prerogative of mercy.”

In other words; the law allows mercy, but not at the cost of system-wide incoherence. The rule of law must not be weaponised or waived at whim.

The Moral Logic: Why the Obi’s Challenge Hits Home.
There is a timeless moral relation between crime, punishment and deterrence. When punishment is certain and proportional, society accepts transgressions less. If punishment becomes negotiable, optional or reversed, deterrence dissolves. The monarch’s rhetorical move (“then scrap NDLEA”) is not literal but metaphorical. He is pointing out that if convictions carry no permanent consequence, then the very architecture of enforcement is hollow.

In his own voice (paraphrased), the monarch reminds us:
“Don’t tell our youths that you are cracking the whip, then pat the offender’s back. Don’t tell the officers to risk their lives busting traffickers, then open the gates for them to walk free. That is hypocrisy. That is betrayal.”

Expert Voices to Strengthen the Argument.
J.A. Olanrewaju et al., in their 2022 study: “A Beautiful Nonsense?”

“The number of drug users in Nigeria is estimated at 14.4% the findings of the survey presented today are striking and alarming and call for concerted efforts to mitigate the negative consequence”

CISLAC statement:
“How do you motivate EFCC, ICPC, NDLEA, CCB or police officers to continue their work when their efforts are undone with a single signature?”

Atiku Abubakar on the pardon:
“At a time when Nigeria continues to reel under the weight of insecurity, moral decay, and a surge in drug‐related of fences the presidency would prioritise clemency for those whose actions have directly undermined national stability and social order.”

A Nation at a Crossroads: A Nation at a Crossroads.
The message from the Obi of Onitsha must resonate far beyond Onitsha. It is a clarion call to rethink whether Nigeria wishes to stand firm or wobble in its war against drugs, corruption and organised crime.

The present state is untenable:
On one hand, NDLEA is doing heavy lifting.

On the other hand, the presidency appears to undercut that lifting with mass pardons.

The youth are watching. Criminals are calculating. Enforcement morale is faltering. The nation’s reputation abroad is threatened.

If indeed the logic of “pardon = no consequences” holds, then yes, the monarch’s dramatic suggestion (“scrap NDLEA”) is not hyperbole. It is a logical conclusion of current policy incoherence.

What must now happen:
A transparent review of the pardon list, especially those convicted of drug trafficking, with a view to restoring credibility.

Clear guidelines on who qualifies for mercy, especially in cases involving national security (drug trafficking, terrorism financing).

Reaffirmation of NDLEA’s mandate, with visible backing from the presidency and political leadership not undermining it.

A sustained public campaign that emphasises accountability, deterrence and justice, so that 14.3 million at-risk Nigerians do not lose faith, and criminals do not gain hope.

As the Obi has rightly observed, the logic cannot be fudged. If the system says “crime will be punished,” then it must mean it. If it says “crime can be pardoned,” then it must accept the consequences, a country adrift, enforcement hollow, youth cynical, criminals emboldened.

Nigeria, you have a choice, reinforce the law, or redefine it. Choose wisely.