From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Presidency has explained that among the 175 granted clemency by President Bola Tinubu when he exercised his constitutional power are multiple categories of offenders, including illegal miners, white-collar criminals, remorseful drug offenders, foreign nationals, and notable capital offenders such as the late Major General Mamman Vatsa, Major Akubo, Professor Magaji Garba, and the renowned Ogoni Nine.
In a statement issued by Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said recommendations for these acts of mercy were made by the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, chaired by Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi.
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The committee’s report, he noted was presented at the Council of State meeting, chaired by President Tinubu, and reflects a thorough evaluation of inmates’ behaviour, age, education, and rehabilitation efforts undertaken during incarceration.
The largest group of beneficiaries were illegal miners, many of whom had been sentenced to three years in prison for unlawful mining activities. These 79 convicts, mostly young adults and some middle-aged, had shown remorse and in some cases acquired new vocational skills in prison. Notably, Senator Ikra Bilbis took responsibility for their rehabilitation and empowerment post-release. The pardon extends across individuals sentenced in 2024 and earlier, restoring hope and providing a fresh start for these citizens.
A significant number of white-collar criminals benefited from pardons or sentence reductions. These offenders had been convicted for offences such as fraud, corrupt practices, obtaining property by false pretence, and criminal breach of trust. Among them were respected professionals and former public officials like Farouk Lawan, who had already served their sentences, and others whose prison terms were reduced due to their advanced age, good conduct, or demonstrated remorse.
Several older convicts received sentence commutations to reflect their age and status, such as the pardon of the late Sir Herbert Macaulay, redeemed posthumously for injustices by colonial authorities.
Another major group to gain clemency consisted of drug offenders convicted for possession, trafficking, or importing various narcotics including cannabis sativa, cocaine, heroin, and tramadol. These individuals showed good behaviour in prison and completed rehabilitative programmes, some enrolling with the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) to further their education. Among the pardoned were inmates who had served long terms, demonstrating reform and readiness to reintegrate into society, such as Emmanuel Baba, whose death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment due to demonstrated remorse.
The clemency extends to some foreign nationals incarcerated in Nigerian prisons, especially those involved in drug trafficking or economic crimes. Their cases were considered carefully, with sentence reductions awarded based on their conduct, age, and potential for positive societal contribution upon release.
The pardon also included notable military figures like Major General Mamman Jiya Vatsa and Major S.A. Akubo, both of whom had been sentenced to life imprisonment for treason-related offences. Their sentences were commuted to fixed terms or posthumously pardoned, reflecting a reconsideration of historical and politically sensitive cases.
President Tinubu’s clemency notably extended to capital offenders, including well-known individuals like Maryam Sanda, sentenced to death for culpable homicide. Her sentence was commuted due to her good behaviour, remorse, and the compelling plea of her family on behalf of her two young children. Seven prisoners on death row benefited from reprieve, having their death sentences commuted to life imprisonment based on evidence of reform and good conduct. The list prominently includes the members of the Ogoni Nine, led by the late Ken Saro Wiwa, posthumously pardoned for convictions related to murder, with the pardon reflecting ongoing national reconciliation efforts.
Several other inmates, convicted of serious offences including manslaughter, kidnapping, culpable homicide, drug trafficking, and robbery, had their sentences significantly reduced. These reductions were granted on the basis of good conduct, advancement in age, health conditions, and acquisition of vocational or academic skills during incarceration. Notable among them were Professor Magaji Garba, whose sentence was cut due to age and good behaviour, and others like Kelvin Oniarah Ezigbe and Frank Azuekor, whose long sentences for kidnapping were shortened after engagement with educational programmes.
The clemency exercise also sought to correct historical injustices, most notably the posthumous pardon of Sir Herbert Macaulay, a nationalist who was unjustly banned from public office by British colonial authorities over a century ago.
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