Tinubu’s 175 Presidential Pardon Convicts Faces Questions

Critics question ethics and transparency as Maryam Sanda, Ken Saro-Wiwa, Mamman Vatsa, and drug offenders make the clemency list
By Oludare Mayowa

Public outrage has intensified following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to grant presidential pardon to 175 offenders, including high-profile convicts such as Maryam Sanda, Mamman Vatsa, and the late environmentalist Ken Saro-Wiwa, prompting mixed reactions across Nigeria’s social and political spectrum.

The list, released on Saturday by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, includes “illegal miners, white-collar convicts, remorseful drug offenders, foreigners, and capital offenders.”

The exercise, part of the President’s prerogative of mercy, has been described by analysts as one of the most sweeping clemency actions in decades.

“Illegal miners, white-collar convicts, remorseful drug offenders, foreigners, Mamman Vatsa, Major Akubo, Magaji Garba, and capital offenders such as Maryam Sanda, Ken Saro-Wiwa, and the other Ogoni Eight were among the 175 convicts and former convicts who received President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s mercy on Thursday,” Onanuga said in a statement.

Mixed Reactions Across Social Media

The presidential announcement has drawn a storm of reactions from Nigerians online, with many questioning the ethical, legal, and moral underpinnings of the decision.

@djokaymegamixer, a social commentator on X, said:

“Yes, the Constitution gives the president the prerogative of mercy. The question is policy design and ethics signalling.

“If mercy is to reform, publish case-by-case criteria and exclude corruption and hard-drug trafficking from eligibility for a fixed period.”

He added that the decision risked “incentivising the next scandal, the next trafficking network, and the next preventable death.”

Similarly, Bello Anka (@belloinuwa) criticised the inclusion of violent and drug-related offenders:

“Pardon is indeed the prerogative of the president, but a list made up of a lot of drug dealers and a well-known murderer leaves more questions than answers. Our leaders should remember that they will answer to a Supreme Being.”

Public Concern Over Justice and Victims’ Rights

The inclusion of Maryam Sanda, sentenced to death in 2020 for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, has become a particular flashpoint in the debate.

@Jaycn330 (Benghazi) wrote:

“Maryam Sanda was granted presidential clemency? What? She stabbed her husband to death. How would the family of the late husband be feeling now? Were they even contacted about this? Presidential clemency after just six years in prison?”

Others described the decision as undermining law enforcement and diminishing deterrence.

@AustinNwudu said:

“I only pity Gen. Buba Marwa, the NDLEA chairman, who works tirelessly to catch drug traffickers, only for the president to pardon all the jailed convicts. What an anti-deterrent gesture.”

@JuliusAyanladun added:

“People who stole money, killed their husbands, or dealt in cocaine were the beneficiaries. Those who have spent 20 years behind bars should have been considered instead.”

Presidency Defends the Clemency Process

The Presidency has maintained that the clemency followed due process after a comprehensive review by the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, chaired by the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi.

Officials said the decision was guided by legal, humanitarian, and rehabilitative considerations, as well as appeals from families, correctional authorities, and the National Council of State.

The pardon list includes six categories:

Full pardons for individuals and posthumous cases

Clemency for terminally ill inmates

Sentence commutations for those on death row

Reduced terms for long-serving inmates

Special humanitarian considerations

Symbolic national reconciliation cases, including the Ogoni Nine.

Public Trust and Policy Debate

Legal analysts argue that while the president’s constitutional right to grant mercy is undisputed under Section 175 of the 1999 Constitution, greater transparency is needed to preserve public trust.

“The optics matter,” said one Abuja-based analyst. “When convicted murderers and drug traffickers appear alongside historic figures like Saro-Wiwa, it blurs the moral distinction between justice, mercy, and politics.”

Civic groups have urged the presidency to publish a clear policy framework for future clemency actions, including criteria, exclusions, and consultation with victims’ families.

.globalfinancialdigest