President Bola Tinubu has rescinded the pardon previously granted to 175 convicts, including individuals convicted of drug trafficking, kidnapping, and fraud, after widespread public backlash over the clemency list released on October 11.
The President also directed a comprehensive review of the pardons approved during the National Council of State meeting held on October 9, 2025.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, announced that individuals convicted of serious crimes such as kidnapping, drug offences, human trafficking, fraud, and illegal possession or dealing in firearms were removed from the list. Others who were previously pardoned had their sentences reduced instead of being fully pardoned.
According to the Presidency, the decision came after consultations with the Council of State and a review of public reactions, and was made in line with the President’s constitutional powers under Section 175(1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
“The decision was deemed necessary due to the gravity and security implications of certain offences, the need to consider the feelings of victims and the wider society, the importance of upholding the morale of law enforcement agencies, and the obligation to honour international agreements,” the statement explained.
It further emphasized that the review was guided by the principle of justice as a three-way process—balancing the interests of the accused, the victim, and the state or society.
President Tinubu’s reversal comes three weeks after widespread criticism followed the inclusion of Maryam Sanda—convicted in 2020 and sentenced to death for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, the son of a former PDP national chairman—on the initial clemency list.
