President Bola Tinubu has ordered a review of the presidential pardon granted to at least 175 persons at the National Council of State meeting on October 9, 2025, following widespread outrage over the inclusion of individuals convicted of serious offences.
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.”
Onanuga added, “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).”
The statement continued, “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.
Her reported clemency sparked public outrage, with rights advocates, victims’ families, and legal groups branding the move “an affront to justice” and “a mockery of the fight against gender-based violence.”
The Nigerian Bar Association’s Section on Public Interest and Development Law also 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 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.
According to Onanuga, “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.”
He added 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.
Tinubu bows to pressure, reviews pardon for kidnapping, drug-related offences
