President Bola Tinubu has approved the exercise of the presidential prerogative of mercy for 175 individuals, including nationalist Herbert Macaulay and former Federal Capital Territory Minister, Maj.-Gen. Mamman Vatsa (retd).
The decision followed the endorsement of the Council of State during its meeting on Thursday at the State House, Abuja, after a presentation by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).
Fagbemi, who presented the recommendations on behalf of the President, said the names were drawn from the report of the Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, which reviewed applications for clemency and pardon in line with constitutional provisions.
Though the full list of beneficiaries is yet to be published, sources at the meeting disclosed that the pardon extends to several historical figures, including members of the Ogoni Nine and Ogoni Four, whose executions remain controversial in Nigeria’s human rights history.
Herbert Macaulay, widely regarded as the father of Nigerian nationalism, was twice convicted by British colonial authorities in Lagos. In 1913, he was imprisoned over allegations of fund mismanagement involving an estate he managed as a private surveyor—charges historians have described as politically motivated.
Maj.-Gen. Mamman Vatsa, a respected military officer, poet, and former FCT Minister, was executed in 1986 after being accused of involvement in a coup plot against the military government of General Ibrahim Babangida, a decision that drew widespread condemnation.
The presidential pardon is seen as part of efforts to promote national reconciliation, historical justice, and closure for families affected by politically motivated convictions.
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