President Bola Tinubu
By Victory Oghene
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has signed instruments of clemency and pardon for selected individuals convicted of various offences — but notably excluded kidnappers, drug offenders, human traffickers, and fraudsters — in a sweeping reform of Nigeria’s system of presidential mercy.
A statement issued on Tuesday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the President acted after extensive consultations with the Council of State and in response to public concern over the integrity of the pardon process.
The approved list of beneficiaries, according to the statement, has been forwarded to the Nigerian Correctional Service for immediate implementation in line with the duly signed instruments of release.
However, following a thorough review, President Tinubu ordered that individuals convicted of serious crimes such as kidnapping, drug trafficking, human trafficking, arms dealing, and fraud be removed from the list, citing national security, moral, and legal considerations.
“This action became necessary in view of the seriousness and security implications of some of the offences, the need to be sensitive to the feelings of the victims and society in general, and the need to boost the morale of law enforcement agencies,” the statement read.
The Presidency explained that in some cases, earlier approvals for full pardon were commuted to lesser sentences, reflecting what it called a balanced sense of justice — one that considers the rights of the accused, the victims, and the state.
In a structural change aimed at improving oversight, the President also ordered the relocation of the Secretariat of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy from the Federal Ministry of Special Duties to the Federal Ministry of Justice.
Tinubu further directed the Attorney-General of the Federation to develop new Guidelines for the Exercise of the Power of Prerogative of Mercy, which will make consultation with relevant prosecuting agencies compulsory before any pardon recommendation is approved.
“This will ensure that only persons who fully meet the stipulated legal and procedural requirements will henceforth benefit from the issuance of instruments of release,” the statement added.
President Tinubu expressed appreciation to the public and stakeholders for their constructive feedback during the review process and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to judicial reforms and improved justice delivery in Nigeria.
The latest clemency exercise, which comes after the last Council of State meeting, represents the President’s first major overhaul of the nation’s mercy system — and signals a tougher, security-conscious approach to the exercise of executive leniency.
