…Relocates Mercy Committee to Justice Ministry
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has formally executed the Instrument of Presidential Prerogative of Mercy, signing pardons and commutations for convicts in a move he says is part of his administration’s commitment to judicial reform.
According to a statement from the Presidency, the decision follows consultations with the Council of State and reaction to public opinion on an earlier draft list.
The exercise saw certain individuals convicted of serious offences such as kidnapping, human trafficking, fraud, drug-related crimes and unlawful possession of firearms removed from the mercy list. Others whose pardons had been previously approved now had their sentences commuted instead.
The Presidency explained that “certain persons convicted of serious crimes such as kidnapping, drug-related offences, human trafficking, fraud, unlawful possession of firearms/arms dealing, etc, were deleted from the list. Others who had been hitherto pardoned in the old list had their sentences commuted.”
The approved list of beneficiaries has now been transmitted to the Nigerian Correctional Service for implementation.
President Tinubu also ordered that the Secretariat of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy be relocated from the Federal Ministry of Special Duties to the Federal Ministry of Justice.
He further directed the Attorney-General of the Federation (Minister of Justice) to issue “appropriate Guidelines for the Exercise of the Power of Prerogative of Mercy, which includes compulsory consultation with relevant prosecuting agencies.”
The President expressed his appreciation for “the constructive feedback and engagement from stakeholders and the general public” and reaffirmed his government’s broader commitment to judicial reforms.
The list of individuals granted full pardon includes 15 names under the heading Presidential Prerogative of Mercy (Grant of Pardon), 2025:
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- Mrs Anastasia Daniel Nwaobia
- Barrister Hussaini Alhaji Umar
- Ayinla Saadu Alanamu
- Hon. Farouk M. Lawan
- Herbert Macaulay
- Major-General Mamman Jiya Vatsa
- Ken Saro Wiwa
- Saturday Dobee
- Nordu Eawo
- Daniel Gbooko
- Paul Levera
- Felix Nuale
- Baribor Bera
- Barinem Kiobel
- John Kpuine
Under Commutation of Death Sentence to Life Imprisonment four persons were named: Emmanuel Baba, Abubakar Usman, Khalifa Umar, and Mohammed Umar.
The following 15 persons were pardoned:
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- Oroka Michael Chibueze
- Adesanya Olufemi Paul
- Daniel Bodunwa
- Hamza Abubakar
- Buhari Sani
- Mohammed Musa
- Muharazu Abubakar
- Ibrahim Yusuf
- Saad Ahmed Madaki
- Michael Bawa
- Richard Ayuba
- Adam Abubakar
- Emmanuel Yusuf
- Chinedu Stanley
- Johnny Ntheru Udor
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