Presidential Pardon List Under Review Amid Public Outcry

Indications emerged on Thursday that some names on the presidential pardon list approved by the Council of State, as presented by the Attorney-General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), may be dropped. The development follows growing public outrage over the inclusion of certain high-profile and violent offenders among those pardoned by President Bola Tinubu.The presidential pardon, traditionally granted to mark national occasions, was also meant to decongest prisons and promote reconciliation. According to a presidential statement, the decision followed recommendations by the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, chaired by the Attorney-General. The list was divided into six categories: those granted pardon, posthumous pardon (including the Ogoni Nine), victims of the Ogoni Nine honoured, presidential clemency, inmates recommended for reduced terms, and death-row inmates whose sentences were commuted to life imprisonment.

The latest controversy has reignited public debate on the transparency and integrity of Nigeria’s pardon process. On Thursday, Fagbemi clarified that the Presidential Prerogative of Mercy recently announced by the President was still under review and had not been finalised.

Anti-graft and security agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), have reportedly moved to halt the release of some individuals on the list. At the Council of State meeting on October 9, 2025, Fagbemi listed illegal miners, white-collar convicts, drug offenders, foreigners, Maj. Gen. Mamman Vatsa, Prof. Magaji Garba, Ken Saro-Wiwa, and the Ogoni Eight, as well as capital offenders such as Maryam Sanda, among the 175 convicts and ex-convicts granted presidential pardon. The full list was released by the Presidency on October 11, 2025.

While the inclusion of politically exposed persons such as Herbert Macaulay and Farouk Lawan drew little criticism, names linked to violent crimes and security breaches sparked outrage. Among them was Maryam Sanda, convicted in 2017 for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello. Some members of Bello’s family rejected her pardon, though both her father and her late husband’s father later accepted it publicly. Also on the list were Major S. Alabi Akubo, convicted for illegal possession of firearms, and Kelvin Prosper Oniarah, a convicted kidnapper whose operations spanned several states, including Delta, Edo, Rivers, Abia, Benue and Oyo.

Names of those convicted for killing security agents, drug trafficking, and money laundering were also questioned. The uproar has reportedly prompted a review of the clemency process, with the Presidency considering dropping controversial names. A presidential aide revealed that the EFCC, ICPC, NDLEA, and other security agencies had raised strong objections, claiming some names were “smuggled in” without proper vetting. The aide noted that releasing certain convicts could undermine the fight against corruption and organised crime.

Sources close to the process said the final list would likely exclude those whose release poses a security threat or undermines confidence in the justice system. Another security official added that some low-level officers bypassed established criteria, inserting names unknown to the President, and that the list is now undergoing verification by relevant agencies.

Fagbemi confirmed in Abuja that no inmate approved for clemency had yet been released. He explained that the process remains at the final administrative stage, including a standard review to ensure legal compliance before any release order is issued. The next phase, he said, is the issuance of formal instruments implementing the President’s decision for each beneficiary, allowing for a final review before the list is forwarded to the Controller-General of Corrections.

He emphasised that the review reflects the government’s commitment to transparency and due diligence, thanking Nigerians for their vigilance and constructive feedback. “There is no delay in the process” Fagbemi said. “It is following the law to ensure that only those duly qualified benefit from the President’s mercy. The rule of law does not rush—it ensures fairness.”