Presidential Prerogative of Mercy: Tinubu bows to pressure, reduces beneficiaries from 175 to 120
In what appears as bowing to pressure from the public, the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, yesterday, announced the formal conclusion of the Presidential Prerogative of Mercy exercise with the President’s issuance of instruments granting pardon, clemency, and reduced sentences.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has 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.
Recall that in September 2025, a total of 175 convicts and former convicts were granted presidential pardon and clemency by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria. The number of the beneficiaries of that presidential pardon has been reduced to 120 convicts.
The announcement was greeted with criticism by many Nigerians who faulted some categories of people that were included in the pardon.
In the document released yesterday by the ,AGF and Minister of Justice , Prince Lateef Fagbemi,SAN, 15 convicts were granted pardon by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu including former House of Representative Hon. Farouk M.Lawan.
The President also granted clemency to 15 other convicts and commuted the death sentences passed on four convicts : Emmanuel Baba, Abubakar Usman , Khalifa Umar and Mohammed Umar to life sentences.
President Tinubu also reduced to various terms the sentences passed on 86 convicts including Maryam Sunda who was sentenced to death on January 27, 2020 by hanging for killing of her husband (capable homicide ).
Maryam whose freedom as announced early last month generated public uproar, is now to serve 12 years imprisonment based on compassionate grounds, in the best interests of her children, good conducts she had embraced,new life style,model prisoner and her remorsefulness.
The Attorney General of the Federation
said in a statement personally signed that “It is to be recalled that following consultations with the Council of State, the President received concerns on the recommended list and consequently initiated a due process review.
“This exercise has been completed and approved by the President. This exercise was to ensure that only persons who met stipulated legal and procedural requirements would benefit from the prerogative of mercy.
“During this final review, few persons earlier recommended were found not to have met the necessary requirements and were accordingly delisted, while in some other cases, sentences were reviewed and reduced to reflect fairness, justice, and the spirit of the exercise.
“This exercise underscores the President’s desire to balance justice with compassion and the belief that justice must not only punish, but also reform and redeem. The review was undertaken with meticulous commitment to due process to reinforce the administration’s broader commitment to justice reform and humane correctional practices in line with international standards.
“To ensure that future exercises meet public expectations and best practices, the President has directed the immediate 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
“The President has further directed the Attorney-General of the Federation to issue appropriate Guidelines for the Exercise of the Power of Prerogative of Mercy, which includes compulsory consultation with relevant prosecuting agencies.
“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.
He commended the public for their patience and constructive engagement throughout the process, and assure Nigerians that the government remains steadfast in promoting a justice system that upholds human dignity while safeguarding national security and social order.
Related to this topic:
