TINUBU GRANTS CLEMENCY TO 175, INCLUDING HISTORICAL ICONS

On October 9, 2025, President Bola Tinubu announced clemency for 175 individuals, including posthumous pardons for nationalist Herbert Macaulay and Major General Mamman Vatsa, as approved by the National Council of State. The Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy, chaired by Attorney-General Lateef Fagbemi, recommended 82 full pardons, 65 sentence reductions, and seven death sentences commuted to life.Notable posthumous pardons include the Ogoni Nine, executed in 1995 for environmental protests, and the Ogoni Four chiefs. Macaulay, convicted in 1913 by colonial rulers, and Vatsa, executed in 1986 for alleged treason, represent historical redress. Former lawmaker Farouk Lawan, jailed for bribery, was also freed. The committee reviewed 294 cases, prioritizing age, health, and remorse.Vatsa’s family called it “justice at last,” while Ogoni leaders praised “healing.” Social media debates erupted, with some criticizing selective mercy amid ongoing detentions. The move, Nigeria’s largest clemency since 2022, aims to ease prison overcrowding (over 80,000 inmates) and promote unity. Fagbemi emphasized “second chances,” but analysts question its timing amid corruption probes, suggesting political motives. The pardons could reshape Nigeria’s reconciliation narrative or fuel skepticism.