President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reversed parts of the controversial presidential pardon granted to 175 inmates earlier this month, following nationwide outrage over the inclusion of individuals convicted of serious crimes such as kidnapping and drug trafficking.
In a statement on Wednesday, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, announced that those convicted of grave offences—including kidnapping, drug-related crimes, human trafficking, fraud, and arms dealing—had been deleted from the list. He added that others had their sentences reduced instead of being completely pardoned.
The decision, according to the Presidency, was made after consultations with the National Council of State and feedback from the public. The review, Tinubu said, aligns with Section 175 of the 1999 Constitution, which grants the President discretionary powers to grant clemency.
“This action became necessary given the seriousness of some offences, the sensitivity to victims and the need to uphold the morale of law enforcement agencies,” Onanuga explained. “Justice, as a three-way traffic—for the accused, the victim, and society—guided the review process.”
The reversal follows public backlash over the inclusion of Maryam Sanda, sentenced to death in 2020 for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, the son of a former PDP national chairman. Her reported clemency sparked outrage, with human rights groups calling it “a mockery of justice” and the Nigerian Bar Association’s SPIDEL section describing it as “a grave error of judgment.”
Tinubu also ordered the relocation of the Secretariat of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy from the Ministry of Special Duties to the Federal Ministry of Justice. He further directed the Attorney-General of the Federation to draft new guidelines mandating consultation with prosecuting agencies before any clemency list is approved.
The updated list of eligible beneficiaries has now been forwarded to the Nigerian Correctional Service. Tinubu, who thanked citizens for their “constructive engagement,” reaffirmed his commitment to justice reform and transparency in the exercise of presidential powers.
