President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has granted presidential pardons to 175 individuals, including Nigeria’s founding nationalist Herbert Macaulay, former FCT Minister Maj.-Gen. Mamman Vatsa, and members of the Ogoni Nine. The decision was ratified during the National Council of State meeting held on Thursday, October 9, 2025, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The clemency was based on recommendations from the Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, presented by Attorney-General Lateef Fagbemi. The move aims to promote restorative justice and decongest correctional facilities nationwide. Of the 175 beneficiaries, 82 inmates received full pardons, 65 had their sentences reduced, and 7 death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment.
Herbert Macaulay, often hailed as the “father of Nigerian nationalism,” was posthumously pardoned for two colonial-era convictions—one in 1913 for alleged misappropriation of estate funds, and another in 1928 for sedition linked to his Lagos Daily News publication during the Eleko agitation. His inclusion is seen as a symbolic gesture to correct historical injustices.
Maj.-Gen. Mamman Vatsa, executed in 1986 for alleged coup plotting under the Babangida regime, also received a posthumous pardon. The controversial nature of his trial has long fueled calls for clemency. Similarly, the Ogoni Nine, including activist Ken Saro-Wiwa, were pardoned decades after their execution under the Abacha regime.
Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State described the move as a reflection of President Tinubu’s commitment to justice reform and national healing. The Council also approved key appointments, including Professor Joash Amupitan as INEC Chairman and Dr. Aminu Yusuf as NPC Chairman.
