Tinubu Grants Presidential Pardons to Macaulay, Vatsa, Saro-Wiwa, Others — Presidency

Tinubu Grants Presidential Pardons to Macaulay, Vatsa, Saro-Wiwa, Others — Presidency

ABUJA, October 9, 2025 — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has granted presidential pardons to several notable Nigerians, including nationalist leader Herbert Macaulay, former military officer Major-General Mamman Jiya Vatsa, and environmental activist Ken Saro-Wiwa alongside the Ogoni Nine. The decision, approved by the National Council of State, marks one of the most far-reaching clemency exercises in recent years, with the government describing it as part of efforts to promote justice, reconciliation, and national healing.

The presidential pardon also extended to Farouk Lawan, Anastasia Daniel Nwaobia, Barrister Hussaini Umar, Ayinla Saadu Alanamu, and several inmates serving various sentences across the country. In total, 82 inmates received full clemency, 65 had their sentences reduced, and seven death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment.

According to the Presidency, the decision followed recommendations from the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy (PACPM), chaired by the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN). The committee reviewed 294 cases, conducted interviews with 175 inmates, and made its recommendations based on criteria such as old age, terminal illness, length of incarceration, evidence of remorse, and proof of rehabilitation.

Explaining the rationale behind the high-profile posthumous pardons, the Presidency noted that Herbert Macaulay’s 1913 conviction by the British colonial authorities for alleged misappropriation was politically motivated and aimed at silencing his anti-colonial activism. The pardon, it said, serves to correct a historical injustice and restore his legacy as one of Nigeria’s founding nationalists.

For Major-General Mamman Vatsa, who was executed in 1986 for an alleged coup plot, the pardon seeks to acknowledge longstanding doubts about the fairness of his trial and execution under military rule. Similarly, the posthumous pardon for Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni Nine, executed in 1995 under General Sani Abacha, was granted in recognition of their struggle for environmental justice and the widely condemned nature of their trials.

The Presidency said the clemency exercise underscores President Tinubu’s commitment to upholding the principles of justice and mercy, adding that it also aims to foster national unity by addressing historical grievances. Officials emphasized that the move demonstrates the administration’s belief in restorative justice and reconciliation while offering deserving individuals — both living and deceased — a chance at redemption and honor.