President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has granted presidential pardon to 175 individuals, including notable historical figures such as Herbert Macaulay and former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Major-General Mamman Vatsa (retd).
The approval was confirmed on Thursday after the National Council of State meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), presented the list on behalf of the President.
According to Fagbemi, the recommendation came from the Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, which reviewed petitions and requests for clemency in line with Nigeria’s constitutional provisions.
Macaulay and Vatsa among notable names
Although the full list has not yet been made public, sources at the meeting said that the pardon includes Nigeria’s foremost nationalist, Herbert Macaulay, and Maj.-Gen. Mamman Vatsa, who was executed in 1986 following a failed coup allegation.
Also among those pardoned are members of the Ogoni Nine and Ogoni Four, whose executions in the 1990s sparked global outrage and long-standing demands for justice.
Macaulay, often celebrated as the “father of Nigerian nationalism,” was twice convicted by British colonial authorities in Lagos.
His most notable conviction came in 1913 when he was accused of mismanaging estate funds while working as a private surveyor—a case many historians consider politically motivated.
Council of State backs Tinubu’s decision
The Council of State, which includes former presidents, governors, and key national leaders, reportedly endorsed the President’s recommendation unanimously.
The presidential pardon, which falls under the prerogative of mercy, is designed to correct historical injustices, promote national healing, and give deserving citizens a second chance.
The government is expected to release the full list of beneficiaries in the coming days, detailing individuals who benefitted from the clemency exercise across various categories.
