President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has granted a historic presidential pardon and clemency to 175 convicts and ex-convicts, including notable figures such as Ken Saro-Wiwa, Major General Mamman Vatsa, Maryam Sanda, and Professor Magaji Garba. The decision reflects the President’s commitment to justice reform, reconciliation, and compassion for those who have shown remorse and embraced rehabilitation.
According to Mediaplusng.com, the clemency covers various categories of offenders, including illegal miners, white-collar criminals, drug offenders, and even foreigners. Some of the beneficiaries received pardon based on good behavior, old age, or successful participation in rehabilitation programs such as vocational training and enrollment in the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).
President Tinubu also made history by correcting a century-old injustice committed by British colonial authorities against Sir Herbert Macaulay, Nigeria’s foremost nationalist, who was wrongfully convicted in 1913. This symbolic move further emphasizes the administration’s commitment to fairness and historical redress.
The Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, chaired by Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), recommended the clemency. The committee advised the President to approve pardons for two inmates and 15 deceased ex-convicts, grant clemency to 82 inmates, and commute 65 prison sentences. Seven inmates on death row also had their sentences reduced to life imprisonment.
Mediaplusng.com reports that the posthumous pardon granted to Ken Saro-Wiwa and the other Ogoni Eight—executed in 1995—marks a significant moment of reconciliation for Nigeria. The government also extended clemency to Maryam Sanda, convicted for culpable homicide, after she showed remorse, maintained good behavior, and demonstrated a willingness to start afresh for the sake of her children.
Other beneficiaries include Major General Mamman Jiya Vatsa, executed in 1986 for alleged treason, and Major S.A. Akubo, whose life sentence was commuted to 20 years after years of good conduct. Several illegal miners, drug offenders, and elderly inmates also received reduced prison terms or full pardons.
The Attorney-General presented the committee’s report during the Council of State meeting chaired by President Tinubu, where the decision was ratified. The move has been widely described as a step toward prison decongestion and restorative justice in Nigeria.
