***Moves Secretariat to Justice Ministry
President Bola Tinubu has finalized a revised clemency list, removing high-risk offenders and commuting sentences for some, following consultations with the Council of State and public input.
Under his constitutional powers, the President excluded individuals convicted of serious crimes—including kidnapping, drug trafficking, human trafficking, fraud, and unlawful possession of firearms—from the pardon list. The decision considered the severity of offences, national security implications, victims’ sensitivities, law-enforcement morale, and Nigeria’s international obligations.
The revised list has been transmitted to the Nigerian Correctional Service for implementation.
In a broader reform move, President Tinubu ordered the relocation of the Secretariat of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy from the Federal Ministry of Special Duties to the Federal Ministry of Justice. The Attorney-General of the Federation has also been directed to issue updated guidelines for granting clemency, ensuring that future pardons comply fully with legal and procedural requirements.
The initial list, released earlier this month, drew criticism for including persons convicted of serious offences. Among the dissenters were former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), who warned that indiscriminate pardons could undermine the justice system.
Of the original 175 beneficiaries, 41 were illegal miners, 28 drug traffickers, and 22 murderers. Others included coup plotters, corrupt politicians, capital offenders such as Maryam Sanda, Major General Mamman Vatsa, Major Akubo, Professor Magaji Garba, and the late Ken Saro-Wiwa along with the Ogoni Eight.
