President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has formally revoked the presidential pardon earlier granted to 175 convicted persons, including individuals convicted of drug trafficking, kidnapping, and financial crimes, following widespread public backlash against the original clemency list released on October 11, 2025.
According to a statement issued on Wednesday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the reversal followed a directive by the President for a comprehensive review of the clemency granted during the National Council of State meeting of October 9, 2025.
The Presidency explained that the decision was taken pursuant to the President’s discretionary powers under Section 175(1) and (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), and was guided by public feedback and consultations with the Council of State.
“Consequently, certain persons convicted of serious crimes such as kidnapping, drug-related offences, human trafficking, fraud, and unlawful possession of firearms were deleted from the list. Others previously granted full pardon had their sentences commuted,” the statement read.
The review, the Presidency added, was necessary given the security and moral implications of pardoning individuals convicted of grave crimes, as well as the need to uphold public confidence in the criminal justice system and maintain alignment with Nigeria’s international obligations.
In a Federal Government gazette dated October 23, 2025, and issued by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, the number of approved beneficiaries was reduced from 175 to 120, with convicted murderer Maryam Sanda among those removed from the full pardon list and reclassified under a reduced 12-year term of imprisonment.
Attorney-General Fagbemi stated that the review was undertaken after the President received concerns regarding the earlier list and ordered a due-process reassessment of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy’s recommendations.
“During the final review, certain persons earlier recommended were found not to have met the requirements and were accordingly delisted. In some other cases, sentences were reviewed and reduced to reflect fairness, justice, and the spirit of the exercise,” Fagbemi said.
The President further directed that the Secretariat of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy be relocated from the Ministry of Special Duties to the Federal Ministry of Justice, and ordered the issuance of new operational guidelines requiring mandatory consultation with relevant prosecuting agencies prior to any future recommendations.
The revised clemency instruments, classified under four categories — Pardon, Clemency, Commutation of Death Sentences, and Reduced Terms of Imprisonment — delisted offenders convicted of serious crimes, while retaining only 15 full pardons for non-violent or symbolic cases, including posthumous redress for Herbert Macaulay, Maj.-Gen. Mamman Vatsa, and the Ogoni Nine activists executed in 1995.
Among the living beneficiaries whose pardons were upheld are Anastasia Nwaobia, Hussaini Umar, Ayinla Saadu Alanamu, and Farouk Lawan, all former public officials convicted of corruption-related offences who have served their terms.
Inmates who benefited from commuted or reduced sentences were considered on grounds of good conduct, rehabilitation, vocational training, and remorse, consistent with the government’s policy shift toward restorative justice.
Reactions
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in its response, condemned the entire process as evidence of “policy inconsistency and poor governance.” The party’s Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, described the development as “a reflection of confusion within the Tinubu administration.”
“It is as though decisions are made in the morning and reversed in the afternoon. This back and forth is unacceptable and exposes the lack of coherence in government policy,” Osadolor said.
He alleged that the government was “rehabilitating criminals” while neglecting to honor “national heroes and patriots” who sacrificed for the nation.
Similarly, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar criticized the pardon saga, describing it as “an act of shame” and “evidence of a government that reacts rather than leads.”
“Once again, Nigerians have witnessed a government that doesn’t lead — it reacts. This U-turn is not an act of wisdom but an act of shame,” Atiku’s statement, signed by his aide Phrank Shaibu, read.
He demanded transparency regarding the criteria used to select beneficiaries, asking, “Who compiled the list, and on what basis were kidnappers and drug traffickers considered?”
The Labor Party and the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) offered divergent views: while the LP commended the President for heeding public opinion, the NNPP described the episode as a “policy embarrassment” that underscores the administration’s disorganisation.
Meanwhile, the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) rejected the posthumous pardon granted to the Ogoni Nine, describing it as “a political gimmick” aimed at paving the way for renewed oil exploration in Ogoniland.
MOSOP’s spokesperson, Imeabe Saviour, asserted that the group was “not interested in symbolic pardons” and demanded that the Federal Government release $300 million in environmental funds owed to the Ogoni people before any discussion on oil resumption can occur.
In sum, while President Tinubu’s reversal has been described by supporters as a demonstration of responsiveness to public sentiment, critics view it as a sign of governance instability and policy inconsistency, reflecting broader concerns about the administration’s decision-making processes and moral priorities.#newsafro_
