Tinubu grants Presidential pardon to Herbert Macaulay, Vatsa, 173 others

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has granted presidential pardons to Nigerian nationalist Herbert Macaulay and former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Major General Mamman Jiya Vatsa (retd), following the endorsement of the National Council of State during its meeting on Thursday in Abuja.

While Macaulay was twice convicted by the British colonial authorities in Lagos, Vatsa, a poet and senior military officer, was executed for treason in 1986 under the Babangida regime. In 1913, Macaulay was tried for allegedly misappropriating funds from an estate he managed as a private surveyor, though historians have continued to debate the fairness of that prosecution.

President Tinubu also pardoned four other former convicts, including ex-House of Representatives member Farouk Lawan, Anastasia Daniel Nwaobia, Barrister Hussaini Umar, and Ayinla Saadu Alanamu, saying the gesture was to help them reintegrate into society after showing genuine remorse. Nweke Francis Chibueze, who had been serving a life sentence for cocaine trafficking, and Dr Nwogu Peters, who served 12 out of a 17-year sentence for fraud, were also granted clemency.

In a historic move, Tinubu granted posthumous pardons to the Ogoni Nine — Ken Saro-Wiwa, Saturday Dobee, Nordu Eawo, Daniel Gbooko, Paul Levera, Felix Nuate, Baribor Bera, Barinem Kiobel, and John Kpuine — while bestowing national honours on the Ogoni Four — Chief Albert Badey, Chief Edward Kobani, Chief Samuel Orage, and Theophilus Orage.

Exercising his constitutional prerogative of mercy, President Tinubu granted clemency to 82 inmates, reduced the prison terms of 65 others, and commuted seven death sentences to life imprisonment.

The president acted on the recommendations of the 12-member Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy (PACPM), chaired by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN). Other members include Chief Akinlolu Olujinmi (CON), Prof. Alkasum Abba, Prof. (Mrs.) Nike Y. Sidikat Ijaiya, Justice Augustine B. Utsaha, and Secretary Dr Onwusoro Maduka, a former Permanent Secretary.

Institutional representatives on the committee include officials from the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Correctional Service, National Human Rights Commission, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), and the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA).

The committee’s final report, presented to the Council of State in Abuja, stated that 175 inmates were interviewed, while 62 applications were received on behalf of 119 inmates, totalling 294 cases reviewed. Out of these, 82 inmates were recommended for clemency, two for full pardon, 65 for term reduction, and seven on death row for commutation to life imprisonment. Fifteen ex-convicts were also recommended for presidential pardon, including 11 deceased persons — among them the Ogoni Nine — while the Ogoni Four were proposed for posthumous national honours.

The committee based its recommendations on criteria such as old age (60 years and above), terminal illness, young offenders (16 years and below), long-term convicts with good conduct, and inmates who have acquired vocational skills in custody. It also considered those adjudged remorseful, recommended for exemplary behaviour, or repatriated from foreign prisons.

The PACPM was inaugurated on January 15, 2025, by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, as part of President Tinubu’s broader justice, rehabilitation, and human rights reform agenda aimed at fostering national reconciliation.