President Bola Tinubu has transmitted two bills to the House of Representatives seeking to strengthen Nigeria’s legal framework for prosecuting genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, while expanding the country’s cooperation with the International Criminal Court.
The bills were forwarded to the House for consideration in a presidential letter dated October 6, 2026, and addressed to the Speaker, Abbas Tajudeen. The letter was read during plenary on Tuesday.
Mediaplusng.com reports that the proposed legislation comprises the Geneva Conventions and Additional Protocols Bill, 2026, and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court Enforcement Bill, 2026.
President Tinubu invoked Section 58, subsection 2, of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, in transmitting the bills to lawmakers for consideration.
The first bill seeks to repeal and replace the existing Geneva Conventions Act, contained in the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and give effect to the four Geneva Conventions adopted on August 12, 1949, alongside two Additional Protocols adopted on June 8, 1977.
The Geneva Conventions establish international rules designed to protect people during armed conflicts. These include wounded and sick members of armed forces, prisoners of war and civilians who are not participating in hostilities.
The Additional Protocols provide further protections and rules governing the conduct of warfare, including safeguards for civilians affected by armed conflict.
If enacted, the proposed legislation would update Nigeria’s domestic legal framework for implementing these international humanitarian law obligations.
The second bill focuses on the Rome Statute, the international treaty that established the International Criminal Court, commonly known as the ICC.
It seeks to establish provisions for prosecuting and punishing genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and related offences under Nigerian law. It would also provide a legal framework for Nigeria’s cooperation with the ICC in carrying out its mandate.
The distinction between the offences is important.
Genocide involves certain prohibited acts committed with the specific intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group.
Crimes against humanity involve specified acts committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against a civilian population.
War crimes are serious violations of the laws and customs governing armed conflict, including certain attacks against civilians and the mistreatment of prisoners of war.
Mediaplusng.com reports that the proposed bills would place these serious international crimes more explicitly within Nigeria’s domestic legal framework, subject to the final provisions approved by the National Assembly.
The proposals could also strengthen the legal basis for investigating and prosecuting qualifying offences within Nigeria, while supporting cooperation with international justice mechanisms.
However, the bills are proposals and must undergo legislative consideration before they can become law. Their final impact will depend on the provisions ultimately passed, the applicable constitutional safeguards and the capacity of relevant institutions to investigate and prosecute cases fairly.
The transmission comes as Nigeria’s lawmakers consider the legal and institutional measures needed to address serious crimes and meet the country’s obligations under international agreements.
The House of Representatives is expected to consider the bills through the legislative process, with any subsequent passage and presidential assent required before the proposed measures can take effect.
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