Overview of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Mercy
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has granted clemency to 175 convicts and former convicts, including illegal miners, white-collar criminals, remorseful drug offenders, foreigners, and notable figures such as Major General Mamman Vatsa, Major Akubo, Professor Magaji Garba, and capital offenders like Maryam Sanda, Ken Saro Wiwa, and the other Ogoni Eight. This act of mercy was based on reports that the convicts had shown remorse, exhibited good conduct, or acquired new vocational skills during their incarceration.
Additionally, President Tinubu corrected a historic injustice committed by British colonialists against Sir Herbert Macaulay, one of Nigeria’s foremost nationalists. The Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, chaired by the Attorney-General and Justice Minister, Prince Lateef Olasunkanmi Fagbemi, recommended pardons for two inmates, 15 former convicts (11 of whom have since died), clemency for 82 inmates, and commutation of sentences for 65 inmates. Seven inmates on death row also benefited from the presidential reprieve, with their death sentences reduced to life imprisonment.
Prince Fagbemi presented the committee’s report at the Council of State meeting, chaired by President Tinubu.
Pardoned Convicts
The following individuals received pardons:
- Nweke Francis Chibueze, aged 44, serving a life sentence at Kirikiri for cocaine.
- Dr Nwogu Peters, aged 67, serving a 17-year jail term for fraud.
- Mrs Anastasia Daniel Nwaoba, aged 63, who had already served a sentence for fraud.
- Barr. Hussaini Alhaji Umar, aged 58, sentenced in 2023 to pay a fine of N150M in the ICPC case.
- Ayinla Saadu Alanamu, age 63, sentenced to seven years for bribery in 2019 and has served the sentence.
- Hon. Farouk M. Lawan, aged 62, sentenced to five years in 2021 for Corrupt Practices and had served the sentence.
Posthumous Pardons
Some convicts were posthumously pardoned, including:
- Sir Herbert Macaulay, banned from public office for misappropriation of funds and sentenced in 1913 by the British colonialists.
- Major-General Mamman Jiya Vatsa, age 46, sentenced in 1986 for treason related to an alleged coup plot.
Posthumous Pardon: The Ogoni Nine
The Ogoni Nine, who were sentenced for murder, were also posthumously pardoned. Their names include:
- Ken Saro Wiwa
- Saturday Dobee
- Nordu Eawa
- Daniel Gbooko
- Paul Levera
- Felix Nuate
- Baribor Bera
- Barinem Kiobel
- John Kpuine
Victims of the Ogoni Nine Honored
Several individuals were honored as victims of the Ogoni Nine, including:
- Chief Albert Badey
- Chief Edward Kobaru
- Chief Samuel Orage
- Chief Theophilus Orage
Presidential Clemency
Most of the beneficiaries showed either remorse or learned vocational skills in jail. Some of the convicts who received clemency include:
- Aluagwu Lawrence, aged 47, sentenced for Indian hemp (selling), 2015
- Ben Friday, aged 60, sentenced to 3 years or N1.3 million fine for marijuana in 2023.
- Oroke Micheal Chibueze, aged 21, sentenced to 5 years (cannabis sativa) in 2023
- Kelvin Christopher Smith, aged 42, was sentenced to 4 years for importing cocaine in 2023
- Azubuike Jeremiah Emeka, aged 31, sentenced in 2021 to 5 years or N3 million fine for importing cocaine.
List of Inmates Recommended for Reduced Term of Imprisonment
Several convicts had their prison terms reduced due to good conduct, remorse, or other factors:
- Yusuf Owolabi, aged 36, sentenced to life in 2015 for Manslaughter. Prison term reduced to 12 years for showing remorse and learning vocational skills.
- Ifeanyi Eze, aged 33, sentenced to life in 2021 for Manslaughter and had spent four years at Kirikiri. Prison term reduced to 12 years for showing remorse and learning vocational skills.
- Malam Ibrahim Sulaiman, aged 59, sentenced to life in 2022 for Armed robbery & possession of illegal firearms. Sentence cut to 10 years based on good conduct.
- Shettima Maaji Arfo, aged 54, sentenced in 2021 to seven years for Corrupt Practices. Sentence reduced to four years, because of good conduct and ill-health.
- Ajasper Benzeger, aged 69 and sentenced in 2015 to 20 years for Culpable homicide. Sentence reduced to 12 years, based on old age and ill-health.
Inmates on Death Row Reduced to Life Imprisonment
Seven inmates on death row had their sentences commuted to life imprisonment:
- Emmanuel Baba, aged 38: sentenced to death in 2017 for culpable homicide. On death row in Kuje Custodial Centre for the past 8 years. The sentence was commuted to life imprisonment based on good conduct and remorsefulness.
- Emmanuel Gladstone, aged 45, was sentenced in 2020 to death for murder and had spent five years at Katsina Custodial Centre. Death sentence commuted to life imprisonment due to good conduct and remorse.
- Moses Ayodele Olurunfemi, aged 51: sentenced to death in 2012 for culpable homicide and had spent 13 years on death row in Katsina. President Tinubu commuted the death sentence to life imprisonment, citing the individual’s good conduct and remorse.
- Abubakar Usman, aged 59: Sentenced to Death in 2014 and had spent 14 years on death row in Katsina. His sentence was commuted to life because of his remorse and good conduct.
- Khalifa Umar, aged 37: Sentenced to death in 2014 and had spent 11 years on death row in Kano Custodial Centre. His sentence has been commuted to life imprisonment.
- Benjamin Ekeze, age 40. Sentenced to death in 2017 for armed robbery and conspiracy, and had spent 12 years on death row at Kirikiri, Lagos. The sentence was also commuted to life.
- Mohammed Umar, 43: Sentenced to death in 2018 for culpable homicide and had spent seven years on death row in Onitsha Custodial Centre. He got the Presidential reprieve, commuting the death sentence to life imprisonment.
