10th October 2025, NewsOrient, News, Law And Society, Governance And Development
Posted By Samuel Egburonu, Editor

The historic Ogoni Nine, late Major General Mamman Jiya Vatsa, sentenced to death over a treason charge in 1986, foremost nationalist Herbert Macaulay, convicted by British colonialists, Hon Lawan, fondly called Mr Integrity during his days at the House of Representatives and 82 prison inmates have received Presidential pardon from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Vatsa, a poet, was among the 17 people who received presidential pardons following the endorsement of the National Council of State, which met in Abuja on Thursday.

President Tinubu also granted a posthumous pardon to Herbert Macaulay, a Nigerian nationalist and co-founder, along with Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, of the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC). Macaulay was the party’s first president, which played a pivotal role in Nigeria’s struggle for independence. However, in 1913, Macaulay was believed unjustly convicted by the British colonialists and banned from public office. Macaulay died in 1946, but the stigma of being an ex-convict was not exorcised from his records until now.

President Tinubu also pardoned four former convicts, including former House of Representatives member, Farouk Lawan, Mrs Anastasia Daniel Nwaobia, Barrister Hussaini Umar and Ayinla Saadu Alanamu. They were pardoned to enable them to integrate into society, having demonstrated sufficient remorse. Nweke Francis Chibueze, serving a life sentence for cocaine, was pardoned, along with Dr Nwogu Peters, who had served 12 out of his 17-year sentence for fraud.

The Ogoni Nine: Ken Saro Wiwa, Saturday Dobee, Nordu Eawo, Daniel Gbooko, Paul Levera, Felix Nuate, Baribor Bera, Barinem Kiobel and John Kpuine were formally pardoned. At the same time, the President awarded national honours to the Ogoni Four- Chief Albert Badey, Chief Edward Kobani, Chief Samuel Orage, and Theophilus Orage.

In exercising his constitutional power of mercy, President Tinubu granted clemency to 82 inmates and reduced the prison terms of 65 others. He gave a reprieve for seven inmates on the death row by commuting their sentences to life imprisonment.

President Tinubu acted on the recommendations of the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy(PACPM). The committee has 12 members, with the Attorney General and Justice Minister, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, as chairman. The other members are Chief Akinlolu Olujinmi, CON; Prof. Alkasum Abba; Prof. (Mrs.) Nike Y. Sidikat Ijaiya; Justice Augustine B. Utsaha; and the Secretary, Dr Onwusoro Maduka, a former Permanent Secretary.

The institutional representatives on the Committee are: the Permanent Secretary, Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs; representatives of the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Correctional Service, National Human Rights Commission, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), and Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

The committee’s final report was presented to the Council of State on Thursday in Abuja, as required by the constitution.

A release from Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Information & Strategy, stated that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume, inaugurated the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy (PACPM) on January 15, 2025.

~ Published By NewsOrient Network

For News, Inter
views, Special Events Coverage, Advertisements, Corporate Reports, etc., Contact:
Email: Newsorientng@gmail.com

Website: https://newsorientng.com
Phone: +2348023165410; +2348064041541