President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has granted a presidential pardon to 175 individuals, including Nigeria’s founding nationalist, Herbert Macaulay, in a move aimed at promoting justice, reconciliation, and correctional reform.
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The decision followed the approval of the National Council of State during its meeting on Thursday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), presented the recommendations for the Council’s consideration.
According to details from the meeting, 82 inmates received full presidential pardons, 65 had their sentences reduced, while seven death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment.
Among the notable beneficiaries are Major-General Mamman Vatsa, a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory executed in 1986 for alleged treason; and the Ogoni Nine and Ogoni Four, environmental activists executed during the military era for their struggle in the Niger Delta.
The inclusion of Herbert Macaulay, often regarded as the “father of Nigerian nationalism,” is viewed as a symbolic gesture of historical justice, considering his multiple convictions under colonial rule.
The posthumous pardons, according to government sources, are part of the Tinubu administration’s broader efforts to promote national unity and correct past injustices.
The Council of State also approved key appointments, including Dr. Aminu Yusuf as Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC) and Tonge Bularafa as Federal Commissioner representing Yobe State.
