President Bola Tinubu has directed that individuals convicted of kidnapping, drug trafficking, human trafficking, fraud, and unlawful possession of firearms be removed from the list of beneficiaries under the federal government’s prerogative of mercy.
The directive was announced on Wednesday in a statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.
According to the statement, the president’s decision followed consultations with the Council of State and widespread public feedback.
Earlier on October 9, Tinubu had granted presidential pardons and other forms of clemency to 175 individuals after receiving approval from the Council of State. The list included notable figures such as Herbert Macaulay, one of Nigeria’s foremost nationalists; Farouk Lawan, a former member of the House of Representatives; and Major General Mamman Vatsa, a poet and military officer executed in 1986 for alleged treason.
Among the beneficiaries were also drug offenders, illegal miners, white-collar criminals, and foreign nationals, sparking public criticism over the inclusion of persons convicted of serious crimes.
One particularly controversial name on the list was Maryam Sanda, who was sentenced to death for the murder of her husband, Bilyamin Mohammed Bello.
Amid the backlash, Attorney-General of the Federation Lateef Fagbemi had earlier stated that the pardon list would undergo review, noting that the process involved multiple stages.
The president’s latest directive is seen as a move to restore public confidence in the government’s clemency process and ensure that only deserving cases benefit from the prerogative of mercy.
