The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced a review of President Bola Tinubu’s recently approved presidential pardon list, which covers 175 individuals convicted of various offenses, including high-profile cases of murder, drug trafficking, and terrorism.
The move comes in the wake of intense public backlash and calls for greater transparency in the clemency process, with no inmates released as of yet.
Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), issued a statement on Thursday clarifying that the list remains in the “final administrative stage,” undergoing thorough legal and procedural checks to ensure compliance with the Constitution.
”There is no delay in the process; it is simply following the law to the letter to ensure that only those duly qualified benefit from the President’s mercy,” Fagbemi said, emphasizing that public feedback is valued as a sign of Nigerians’ commitment to justice and good governance.
The pardon exercise, endorsed by the Council of State on the recommendation of the Prerogative of Mercy Committee chaired by Fagbemi, was intended to decongest overcrowded prisons, promote national reconciliation, and honor historical figures.
Among the beneficiaries are posthumous pardons for nationalist Herbert Macaulay, executed poet and Major General Mamman Vatsa, and the Ogoni Nine, including environmental activist Ken Saro-Wiwa, whose 1995 convictions for alleged treason have long been contested as politically motivated.
Other notable names include former House of Representatives member Farouk Lawan, convicted in a bribery scandal, and inmates like Nweke Francis Chibueze, serving life for cocaine trafficking, whose sentences have been commuted.
However, the inclusion of individuals convicted of grave crimes has ignited widespread condemnation.
Prominent human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) demanded an immediate withdrawal and re-examination of the list “in the interest of justice and national morality.”
In a strongly worded statement, Falana highlighted the presence of “convicted politically exposed persons, drug addicts and barons, armed robbers, and terrorists,” as well as those charged with state offenses like culpable homicide and obtaining by false pretenses, which fall under governors’ purview per Section 212 of the 1999 Constitution.
He urged the Prerogative of Mercy Committee to defer such cases to state executives rather than bundling them into the federal process.
Critics, including civil society groups and online commentators, have decried the list as undermining public trust in the justice system.
Maryam Sanda, sentenced to death in 2020 for the murder of her husband, former Bank PHB Managing Director Halilu Sanda, has become a focal point of outrage, with many arguing her inclusion trivializes domestic violence and fails to reflect remorse or rehabilitation.
Amnesty International echoed these sentiments, calling on Tinubu to reconsider pardons for those convicted of serious human rights violations, insisting that mercy should not eclipse accountability.
Government officials, however, defend the initiative as a humane step forward. The pardon categories encompass full pardons, sentence reductions, and clemency for ex-convicts who have shown rehabilitation, with the ultimate goal of reintegrating reformed individuals into society.
Fagbemi noted that the issuance of implementation instruments would authorize the Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service to proceed, but only after all reviews are complete—a phase expected imminently but subject to adjustments based on ongoing scrutiny.
The review has reignited debate over the president’s power of mercy under Section 175 of the Constitution, which allows pardons for federal offenses.
With 175 names still under consideration, Nigerians await the outcome amid pressure from Falana, activists, and the public. The Attorney-General’s office has pledged updates, stressing that “the rule of law does not rush; it ensures fairness.”
Whether the process restores trust or reveals deeper issues, it has placed the balance between mercy and justice at the center of national attention.
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