The Council of State, during its meeting on Thursday at the State House in Abuja, approved the exercise of the presidential prerogative of mercy for 175 individuals across various categories.
This decision followed a presentation by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), who delivered President Bola Tinubu’s recommendations based on the report submitted by the Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy.
Although the complete list of beneficiaries has not yet been made public, sources revealed that posthumous pardons were granted to two notable figures: Nigerian nationalist Herbert Macaulay and former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory under the Babangida regime, Maj-Gen. Mamman Vatsa (retd).
Also included among the recipients are members of the Ogoni Nine and the Ogoni Four.
“These two—Herbert Macaulay and Mamman Vatsa—are the most prominent names on the list,” a source present at the meeting disclosed.
Herbert Macaulay, often referred to as the “father of Nigerian nationalism,” was convicted twice by colonial authorities in Lagos. In 1913, while working as a surveyor, he was imprisoned for allegedly mismanaging funds from an estate. Later, in 1928, he was convicted of sedition following controversial publications in his Lagos Daily News during the Eleko of Lagos agitation and served a six-month sentence with hard labour.
Maj-Gen. Vatsa, a poet and senior military officer, was executed by firing squad on March 5, 1986, after being convicted of treason by a secret military tribunal over an alleged coup plot against then-Head of State Ibrahim Babangida—his long-time friend. His conviction and execution have remained the subject of national debate, with continued calls for a posthumous pardon.
Of the 175 total beneficiaries:
- 82 inmates received full presidential pardons,
- 65 had their sentences reduced,
- 7 death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani confirmed these figures, stating, “This decision reflects the President’s dedication to justice and the ongoing reform of the correctional system.”
The Council, chaired by President Tinubu, also ratified key appointments, including:
- Dr. Aminu Yusuf from Niger State as Chairman of the National Population Commission,
- Tonge Bularafa as Federal Commissioner representing Yobe State on the Commission.
Both appointments were unanimously approved.
