In a dramatic reversal, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reviewed and revised the list of individuals eligible for presidential clemency, removing dozens of high-profile names from the original pardon list.
Notably, the pardon earlier granted to Maryam Sanda was revoked, and offenders convicted of crimes like kidnapping, drug trafficking, fraud, and firearms offences were excluded.
The move comes after intense public backlash over the inclusion of persons convicted for serious offenses.
Initially, Tinubu approved clemency for 175 convicts, which included white-collar offenders, drug traffickers, foreigners, and even capital offenders, along with some national figures and posthumous pardons.
However, following criticism from civil society, victims’ groups, and the public, the President ordered a “further review” of the list. According to official statements, names of persons convicted of kidnapping, drug offences, human trafficking, fraud, and unlawful possession of firearms were deleted from the list.
In some cases, individuals who had been fully pardoned had their sentences commuted instead of outright exoneration.
One of the most glaring reversals is Maryam Sanda, originally pardoned under the initial list. Her pardon was revoked, and her sentence was adjusted to 12 years in prison.
Sanda had been convicted for the killing of her husband, Bilyamin Bello. The decision to remove her from the clemency list was one of the high stakes in the public debate.
In tandem with the list revision, Tinubu ordered the relocation of the Secretariat of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy from the Ministry of Special Duties to the Ministry of Justice.
He also directed the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) to issue new guidelines to ensure that prosecuting agencies are consulted before any future pardon exercise.
Tinubu justified the review by pointing to the need to be sensitive to victims, maintain public confidence in law enforcement, and account for the security implications of releasing serious offenders.
After the revision, a new list of beneficiaries was finalized and sent to the Nigerian Correctional Service for implementation.
Among those still receiving clemency (or whose sentences were adjusted) are:
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Convicts showing remorse, good conduct, or participation in vocational / educational programs while imprisoned.
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Posthumous pardons: The Ogoni Nine (including Ken Saro-Wiwa), Sir Herbert Macaulay, and Major General Mamman Jiya Vatsa are among those granted posthumous pardon or recognition.
Also, four individuals on death row had their sentences commuted to life imprisonment.
The new clemency list reportedly now includes about 15 newly pardoned convicts (after the revision), plus others with adjusted sentences.
President Tinubu’s decision to revise the clemency list — including the revocation of Maryam Sanda’s pardon and exclusion of serious convicts — marks one of the most significant adjustments in Nigeria’s use of executive mercy in recent memory.
While some view it as a corrective act prompted by public outcry, the real test will lie in consistent application, legal scrutiny, and whether subsequent clemency exercises can avoid past controversies.