President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly have been urged to sign into law the Malabo Protocol so as to strengthen the country’s fight against all forms of violent crimes, including terrorism and drug trafficking that are currently threatening the development and survival of the country.

Civil rights groups in the call said Nigeria’s leadership should not see the Malabo Protocol as an abstract legal framework but a practical and urgent tool for justice.

“Our country continues to grapple with terrorism, trafficking, and transnational crimes that demand stronger and more coordinated judicial responses beyond national borders”, Says the Executive Director, Tap Initiative for Citizens’ Development, Mr Martin Obono.

Speaking with journalists on Thursday in Abuja, Obono described the protocol as a landmark African Union legal instrument designed to strengthen justice, accountability, and the fight against serious crimes across the continent.

He explained that the protocol which was adopted in 2014 by the African Union in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, seeks to expand the jurisdiction of the African Court of Justice and Human and Peoples’ Rights to include international and transnational crimes such as war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, terrorism, trafficking in persons, drug trafficking, and unconstitutional changes of government.

While observing that only Angola has ratified the protocol since 2014, when it was established, Tap Initiative noted that Nigeria is well-positioned to lead the continent in advancing the Protocol, given its historical role in shaping African governance frameworks.

“Nigeria has long stood at the forefront of advancing justice and the rule of law in Africa. Ratifying the Malabo Protocol is an opportunity for the country to once again demonstrate leadership and commitment to continental accountability mechanisms,” Obono stated.

He also pointed out that for some times now Nigeria has faced significant challenges in prosecuting perpetrators of terrorism and related crimes, due to structural constraints including limited prosecutorial capacity and concerns around the safety of judges, witnesses, and victims.

“This is not about surrendering sovereignty; it is about reinforcing justice,” Obono said, “A regional criminal jurisdiction provides the independence, security, and institutional strength required to ensure that perpetrators of grave crimes are held accountable.”

Tap Initiative also highlighted the growing threat of human trafficking, drug trafficking, and the illegal movement of hazardous waste affecting Nigeria and other African countries, crimes explicitly addressed under the Protocol.

To advance Nigeria’s ratification, the organization has undertaken several strategic actions, including submitting a formal memorandum to the Federal Ministries of Justice and Foreign Affairs, convening a coalition of civil society and legal experts, and engaging key government stakeholders in Abuja.

Tap Initiative is also collaborating with Atrocities Watch Africa (AWA) to mobilize a continent-wide coalition aimed at securing the Protocol’s entry into force by 2028.

“Ratifying the Malabo Protocol will send a clear message to Nigerians and to the world that Nigeria is serious about justice, accountability, and the rule of law,” Obono said.

“It will also catalyze momentum across the continent and encourage other African Union member states to follow suit”, he added.

The group accordingly called on the federal government to act without delay, just as it urged the National Assembly to prepare to support the ratification process, and encouraged civil society, legal practitioners, and citizens to lend their voices to the campaign.