President Bola Tinubu Reverses Pardon Decision Amid Public Outcry
President Bola Tinubu has withdrawn the pardon earlier granted to 175 convicts, including drug traffickers, kidnappers, and fraudsters, following public outrage that trailed the initial clemency list released on October 11. This came as the President ordered a review of the pardon granted at the National Council of State meeting on October 9, 2025.
A statement issued Wednesday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said, “Consequently, certain persons convicted of serious crimes such as kidnapping, drug-related offences, human trafficking, fraud, unlawful possession of firearms/arms dealing, etc., were deleted from the list. Others who had been hitherto pardoned in the old list had their sentences commuted.”
According to the Presidency, the decision followed consultations with the Council of State and public feedback, undertaken “in furtherance of the President’s discretionary powers under Section 175(1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).” This action became necessary in view of the seriousness and security implications of some of the offences, the need to be sensitive to the feelings of the victims of the crimes and society in general, the need to boost the morale of law-enforcement agencies, and adherence to bilateral obligations.
It further noted that “the concept of justice as a three-way traffic for the Accused, the Victim, and the State/Society also guided the review.” Tinubu’s reversal comes three weeks after a storm of criticism greeted the inclusion of Maryam Sanda, convicted in 2020 and sentenced to death for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, the son of a former PDP national chairman, on the original pardon list.
Key Changes in the Revised Pardon List
About 29.2 per cent of those pardoned had been convicted of drug-related offences, the largest category. Another 24 per cent were sentenced for illegal mining, followed by homicide, corruption, and human trafficking. The Nigerian Bar Association’s Section on Public Interest and Development Law had urged the President to rescind what it called “a grave error of judgment,” warning that “granting mercy to a convicted murderer sends the wrong signal about accountability and deterrence.”
The Federal Government, through the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), said the earlier is being re-evaluated. In an official gazette dated October 23, 2025, released by the AGF on Wednesday, the Presidency announced a revised set of instruments reducing the number of beneficiaries from 175 to 120, with several high-profile names, including convicted killer Maryam Sanda, reclassified under reduced terms of imprisonment.
Fagbemi explained that the exercise followed the President’s approval after a due-process review of the initial recommendations presented to him earlier by the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy. He said the review became necessary after the President, upon consultations with the Council of State, received concerns about the initial list of beneficiaries and ordered a reassessment to ensure strict adherence to legal and procedural standards.
During this final review, a few persons earlier recommended were found not to have met the requirements and were accordingly delisted, while in some other cases, sentences were reviewed and reduced to reflect fairness, justice, and the spirit of the exercise.
New Guidelines and Structural Adjustments
The President also directed 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 also instructed the Attorney-General of the Federation to issue new guidelines for exercising the prerogative of mercy, mandating “compulsory consultation with relevant prosecuting agencies” before any list is approved.
“This will ensure that only persons who fully meet the stipulated legal and procedural requirements will henceforth benefit from the issuance of instruments of release,” the Presidency said, adding that the approved list of eligible beneficiaries has been transmitted to the Nigerian Correctional Service for implementation.
Tinubu, who appreciated the constructive feedback and engagement from stakeholders and the general public, reaffirmed his administration’s broader commitment to judicial reforms and improving the administration of justice in Nigeria.
Impact on Convicted Individuals
The review, contained in four separate documents obtained by The PUNCH, Pardon, Clemency, Reduced Terms of Imprisonment, and Commutation of Death Sentences, delisted individuals convicted of serious crimes such as drug trafficking, kidnapping, human trafficking, and armed robbery from the original roll, while retaining only 15 full pardons largely confined to historic or non-violent cases.
Among those removed are Maryam Sanda, previously marked for a full pardon but now listed under a reduced term of 12 years imprisonment, and several drug convicts whose clemency was withdrawn entirely. The final Presidential Pardon list contains 15 names, down from 82 previously. It retained four contemporary corruption-related beneficiaries: Anastasia Nwaobia, Hussaini Umar, Ayinla Alanamu and Farouk Lawan, alongside the historic cases of Herbert Macaulay, Maj.-Gen. Mamman Vatsa and the Ogoni Nine activists were executed in 1995.
Criticism and Political Reactions
However, the Peoples Democratic Party accused President Tinubu of promoting impunity by favouring individuals with questionable records while neglecting patriotic Nigerians who have served the nation with integrity. It argued that the process exposes confusion within the administration.
Reacting to Wednesday’s announcement, the PDP Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, told The PUNCH on Wednesday that the confusion over the list exposes the disorganisation within President Bola Tinubu’s administration. He stated, “This back and forth over the list of pardoned offenders further amplifies the level of disorganisation within the ranks of the presidential aides and the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in general.”
Meanwhile, the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People has rejected the gesture, describing it as “not something to celebrate.” In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Imeabe Saviour, MOSOP said while it acknowledged that the President did not rescind the posthumous pardon for the Ogoni Nine, the group remains “unimpressed” by what it called a political ploy tied to oil resumption in Ogoniland.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar berated President Tinubu over the controversial pardon and subsequent reversal granted to convicted husband-killer, Sanda, describing the move as “an act of shame” and evidence of a government that “thinks after it acts.” In a statement signed by his aide, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku accused the administration of lacking foresight and moral consistency, following Tinubu’s decision to revoke the earlier pardon granted to Sanda and several other convicts.
Conclusion
The ongoing debate surrounding the pardon decisions highlights the complex balance between justice, public sentiment, and governance. As the administration continues to navigate these challenges, the need for transparency, consistency, and accountability remains paramount. The evolving landscape of Nigerian politics underscores the importance of addressing the concerns of citizens while upholding the principles of justice and the rule of law.
