By Charles Pemu 
ABUJA—President Bola Tinubu has formally exercised the presidential prerogative of mercy, granting pardon to 175 individuals across various categories. The list features several controversial and historic figures, including Nigerian nationalist Herbert Macaulay and the late former FCT Minister, Maj.-Gen. Mamman Vatsa (retd).
The blanket approval was granted by the National Council of State on Thursday during its meeting at the State House, Abuja, following a presentation by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).
Fagbemi informed the Council that the selection was based on recommendations from the Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, which systematically reviewed requests for clemency and pardon in compliance with constitutional mandates.
While the complete list of beneficiaries is being finalized for public release, sources at the meeting confirmed the inclusion of individuals whose convictions have long defined key moments in Nigeria’s turbulent history:
A Move to Redress Colonial and Military Wrongs
The most notable names on the list signal a move by the Tinubu administration to formally address historical injustices and controversial political convictions:
Herbert Macaulay: Often revered as the “father of Nigerian nationalism,” Macaulay’s pardon is significant. He was twice convicted by British colonial authorities in Lagos. His 1913 conviction and imprisonment over alleged mismanagement of funds from an estate—a charge widely viewed by historians as a politically motivated attempt by the colonial government to undermine his public standing—has now been formally nullified by the pardon.
Maj.-Gen. Mamman Vatsa (retd): The former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory was famously executed in 1986 following his conviction for his alleged involvement in an attempted coup against the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida. His pardon, nearly four decades later, is a symbolic act aimed at providing closure and rehabilitation of image for his family.
Ogoni Nine and Ogoni Four: The pardon also reportedly covers members of the groups known as the “Ogoni Nine” and “Ogoni Four.” Their cases, arising from the controversial judicial processes related to the environmental rights struggle in the Niger Delta, have been a perennial subject of both national and international criticism.
The presidential prerogative of mercy is a constitutional power intended to temper justice with compassion, allowing the President to grant pardons, reprieves, or remit punishment for convicted persons. This latest exercise by President Tinubu suggests a deliberate effort to use this authority to reconcile with parts of the country’s political and civil rights past.