In a landmark exercise of presidential clemency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has granted posthumous pardons to some of Nigeria’s most prominent historical figures, including foremost nationalist, Herbert Macaulay, and Major General Mamman Jiya Vatsa, the late poet and military officer, executed in 1986 over alleged treason.
The President also extended posthumous pardon to the Ogoni Nine, led by renowned environmental activist, Ken Saro-Wiwa, and awarded national honours to the Ogoni Four, Chief Albert Badey, Chief Edward Kobani, Chief Samuel Orage, and Theophilus Orage, decades after their controversial executions during the military era.
The decisions, endorsed by the National Council of State at its meeting in Abuja on Thursday, 9th October, 2025 to mark one of the most sweeping acts of presidential mercy in Nigeria’s recent history.
Herbert Macaulay, often hailed as the father of Nigerian nationalism and co-founder of the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) alongside Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, was unjustly convicted by British colonial authorities in 1913 and banned from public service. The posthumous pardon effectively clears his name nearly 80 years after his death.
Similarly, the posthumous pardon of Vatsa, a respected poet and soldier, symbolically restores honour to his legacy after nearly four decades.
Amongst those pardoned according to a release from the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, are former House of Representatives member, Farouk Lawan, Mrs. Anastasia Daniel Nwaobia, Barrister Hussaini Umar, and Ayinla Saadu Alanamu, who were said to have shown remorse and readiness for reintegration into society.
Others granted relief include Nweke Francis Chibueze, serving a life term for drug offences, and Dr. Nwogu Peters, who had completed 12 out of a 17-year sentence for fraud.
He also approved clemency for 82 inmates, reduced sentences for 65 others, and commuted seven death sentences to life imprisonment, following recommendations from the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy (PACPM).
The Committee, Chaired by Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), comprises 12 members including Chief Akinlolu Olujinmi (CON), Prof. Alkasum Abba, Prof. (Mrs.) Nike Y. Sidikat Ijaiya, Justice Augustine B. Utsaha, and Secretary Dr. Onwusoro Maduka.
Institutional members include representatives from the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Correctional Service, National Human Rights Commission, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), and Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
In its final report to the Council of State, the committee said, a total of 294 inmates and ex-convicts were considered, with recommendations covering 175 beneficiaries.
The criteria for mercy included old age (60+), terminal illness, youth (below 16), long-term imprisonment with good conduct, rehabilitation through vocational training, and exceptional behaviour noted by correctional officers.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume, inaugurated the PACPM on January 15, 2025, underscoring the Tinubu administration’s commitment to justice, rehabilitation, and human rights.
The Thursday’s Council of State meeting thus represents a significant step toward national reconciliation, historical justice, and the deepening of Nigeria’s democratic values.
