President Bola Tinubu approved a major exercise of the Presidential Prerogative of Mercy on Thursday, October 9, 2025, granting pardons, clemency, and sentence reductions to a total of 175 persons across various categories.
This sweeping action was endorsed by the National Council of State and includes several high-profile and historical figures, as well as numerous inmates recommended for rehabilitation and societal reintegration.
Summary of Key Personalities and Actions Pardoned
The individuals granted a posthumous presidential pardon and those who received a full pardon fall into two main groups: historical figures wronged by past military regimes and recent former public officials.
1. Historical and Posthumous Pardons
This category focuses on reversing convictions tied to Nigeria’s military era, aiming for national healing and justice.
| Individual | Summary of Offense/Case | Outcome | Significance |
| Herbert Macaulay | Pioneer nationalist and co-founder of the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC). | Posthumous Pardon | Acknowledges the nationalist’s foundational role in the independence movement. |
| Maj.-Gen. Mamman Vatsa (retd) | Sentenced to death over a treason charge in 1986under the military regime of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida. | Posthumous Pardon | Corrects a controversial conviction of a soldier-poet executed decades ago. |
| The Ogoni Nine | Ken Saro-Wiwa, Saturday Dobee, Nordu Eawo, Daniel Gbooko, Paul Levera, Felix Nuate, Baribor Bera, Barinem Kiobel, and John Kpuine. | Posthumous Pardon | Reverses the controversial 1995 execution of environmental activists under the Sani Abacha military regime. |
| The Ogoni Four | Chief Albert Badey, Chief Edward Kobani, Chief Samuel Orage, and Theophilus Orage. | Posthumous National Honours | These four were murdered, and their deaths were the charges used against the Ogoni Nine. |
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2. Former Public Officials and Other Convicts
The President also granted a full pardon to former public figures who demonstrated sufficient remorse, allowing for their reintegration into society.
- Farouk Lawan: A former member of the House of Representatives, he was granted a pardon after being convicted of receiving a bribe.
- Dr. Nwogu Peters: Pardoned after serving 12 years of a 17-year sentence for fraud.
- Far-reaching Clemency and Commutation: The Prerogative of Mercy also included:
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- Clemency for 82 inmates (their sentences were cancelled).
- Reduction of prison terms for 65 others.
- Commutation of death sentences for seven inmates on death row to life imprisonment.
The decisions were based on the recommendations of the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy (PACPM), which used criteria like old age, ill health, long-term incarceration with a good record, and demonstrated remorse.
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