Presidency releases full details of all the Nigerians granted presidential pardon, gives reasons for the pardon

Presidential Clemency in Nigeria: Full Details and Rationale Behind Tinubu’s Pardon of 175 Convicts

In a landmark exercise of executive mercy, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has granted presidential pardon and clemency to 175 convicts and former convicts across Nigeria.

This sweeping act of leniency was officially announced following a Council of State meeting in Abuja and detailed in a statement released by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.

The Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, chaired by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), played a pivotal role in reviewing and recommending the beneficiaries. The committee’s recommendations were based on a combination of legal, humanitarian, and rehabilitative considerations.

Among the 175 individuals granted mercy, the breakdown includes two inmates released outright, 15 former convicts granted pardon (11 of them posthumously), 82 inmates granted clemency, and 65 whose sentences were commuted. Additionally, seven inmates on death row had their sentences reduced to life imprisonment.

The list of beneficiaries spans a wide spectrum of offenses and backgrounds. It includes illegal miners, white-collar criminals, remorseful drug offenders, foreigners, and capital offenders. Notably, high-profile figures such as Major General Mamman Vatsa, Major Akubo, Professor Magaji Garba, and Maryam Sanda were among those granted clemency.

Also included were Ken Saro-Wiwa and the other eight Ogoni activists executed in 1995, whose posthumous pardon was seen as a symbolic gesture to correct historical injustices. Sir Herbert Macaulay, a nationalist leader wrongfully convicted during colonial rule, was also posthumously pardoned.

The rationale behind the clemency varied across cases. Some individuals were forgiven due to demonstrated remorse and sustained good conduct while in custody.

Others were considered based on advanced age, deteriorating health, or the acquisition of vocational skills and educational qualifications, such as enrollment in the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).

The presidency emphasized that the exercise was not only about forgiveness but also about rehabilitation, justice, and national reconciliation.

This mass clemency initiative reflects President Tinubu’s broader commitment to restorative justice and the humane treatment of convicts. It also signals a willingness to confront and redress historical wrongs, especially those rooted in political repression and colonial injustice.

The release and pardon of these individuals are expected to have significant social and political implications, particularly in communities affected by past injustices.