KEY POINTS
- Tinubu’s pardon review removed 55 controversial names.
- The presidential pardon review followed national backlash.
- Legal experts say the review restores some public trust.
President Bola Tinubu has cancelled the controversial pardon earlier granted to 175 inmates, including convicted kidnappers, fraudsters and drug traffickers, after a wave of public outrage swept across the country.
The reversal followed a review ordered by Tinubu at the National Council of State meeting on October 9, 2025, and comes barely three weeks after Nigerians criticised the inclusion of high-profile convicts like Maryam Sanda, sentenced to death in 2020 for killing her husband.
Tinubu’s presidential pardon review trims list to 120
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said on Wednesday that convicts for serious crimes including drug trafficking, kidnapping, human trafficking and firearms offences, were deleted from the original list. Others had their sentences reduced rather than pardoned outright.
The Presidency said the decision was guided by security concerns, sensitivity to victims, and Nigeria’s commitment to bilateral obligations. “Justice must serve the accused, the victim, and society,” the statement read.
Attorney-General Lateef Fagbemi confirmed that the revised list now features 120 names, down from 175, after a due-process review by the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy.
Tinubu’s pardon review sparks political and civic backlash
The Nigerian Bar Association had earlier condemned the original clemency as “a grave error of judgment.” Opposition figures including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar described the reversal as “an act of shame,” accusing Tinubu’s government of reacting only after public criticism.
The Peoples Democratic Party said the “policy flip-flop” reflects confusion within the administration, while the Labour Party praised Tinubu for listening to citizens.
Meanwhile, the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People called the gesture “politically motivated,” linking it to possible plans for renewed oil exploration in Ogoniland.
Despite the backlash, Tinubu said the move demonstrates his administration’s commitment to judicial reform and restorative justice, citing good conduct and rehabilitation among inmates as key reasons for sentence reductions.
