President Bola Tinubu has withdrawn the presidential pardon earlier granted to several high-profile convicts, including Maryam Sanda, who was sentenced to death for killing her husband.
Presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, announced the development yesterday, noting that about 50 names were removed from the original clemency list.
Earlier this month, the presidency had released a list of pardoned inmates, which included individuals convicted of serious offences such as murder, drug trafficking, and illegal mining. The move drew widespread outrage from opposition parties, human rights groups, and the public.
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar had described the initial clemency as a “dangerous precedent” that undermined confidence in the justice system. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) also condemned it as “a national disgrace”.
Amid the backlash, Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, clarified that none of the pardoned inmates had been released, and that the list was under review.
In the revised announcement, Onanuga said the president ordered the removal of persons convicted of serious crimes such as kidnapping, drug offences, human trafficking, and arms dealing.
“The President directed a further review of the list after consultations with the Council of State and consideration of public opinion. This action became necessary due to the security implications of some offences and the need to respect the feelings of victims and society”, the statement read.
Tinubu also approved the relocation of the Secretariat of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy to the Ministry of Justice and directed the Attorney-General to issue new guidelines ensuring stricter vetting for future clemency exercises.
According to the presidency, the reviewed list of eligible beneficiaries has been transmitted to the Nigerian Correctional Service for implementation.
