By SCM Staff Writer I Friday, October 10, 2025
ABUJA, Nigeria – President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has granted a posthumous pardon to Nigerian nationalist Herbert Macaulay and former Major General Mamman Jiya Vatsa, who was executed for treason in 1986, in a sweeping act of presidential clemency that also saw the formal pardon of the Ogoni Nine.
The decision was among 17 presidential pardons endorsed by the National Council of State during its meeting in Abuja on Thursday. The pardons mark a significant move to redress historical injustices and promote national reconciliation.
Herbert Macaulay, a co-founder of the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) and a pivotal figure in Nigeria’s struggle for independence, was convicted in 1913 by British colonialists, a conviction widely considered unjust. Despite his death in 1946, the stigma of being an ex-convict remained on his record until now.
Similarly, the posthumous pardon for Major General Mamman Jiya Vatsa, a poet and former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, comes decades after his execution over a treason charge in 1986.
Also formally pardoned were the Ogoni Nine, which includes the renowned environmental activist Ken Saro Wiwa. The President further awarded national honours to the Ogoni Four—Chief Albert Badey, Chief Edward Kobani, Chief Samuel Orage, and Theophilus Orage.
Clemency for High-Profile Individuals and Inmates.
In addition to the historical figures, President Tinubu granted pardons to four former convicts, including former House of Representatives member Farouk Lawan, Mrs. Anastasia Daniel Nwaobia, Barrister Hussaini Umar, and Ayinla Saadu Alanamu. They were reportedly pardoned to aid their integration back into society, having shown sufficient remorse.
Others who benefited include Nweke Francis Chibueze, serving a life sentence for cocaine, and Dr. Nwogu Peters, who had served 12 of his 17-year sentence for fraud.
In exercising his constitutional power of mercy, President Tinubu granted clemency to 82 inmates and reduced the prison terms of 65 others. Seven inmates on death row received a reprieve, with their sentences being commuted to life imprisonment.
The presidential actions were based on the recommendations of the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy (PACPM), chaired by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi.
The committee was inaugurated on January 15, 2025, by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume, to promote justice, rehabilitation, and human rights.
The PACPM reviewed 294 applications and cases, interviewing 175 inmates. The final report, presented to the Council of State, stated that 175 beneficiaries were recommended in total.
The criteria for recommendation included:
Old age (60 years and above) Ill health likely to terminate in death:Young persons (16 years and below) Long-term convicts who have served 10 years or more with a good record
Convicts serving three years or more
Those who demonstrated remorse and exemplary behaviour, and who had learned sustainable vocational trades.
The decision has been described by the State House as a significant step toward achieving national unity and affirming the administration’s commitment to justice and human rights.
