President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the presidential prerogative of mercy for 175 persons, including notable historical figures Herbert Macaulay and Maj.-Gen. Mamman Vatsa (retd.), as endorsed by the Council of State on Thursday.
The announcement followed a presentation by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), during the Council of State meeting held at the State House, Abuja. The recommendations were based on the report of the Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy.
Our correspondent gathered that pardons were granted posthumously to Herbert Macaulay, often called the “Father of Nigerian Nationalism,” and Maj.-Gen. Mamman Vatsa, a former FCT minister executed in 1986 during the Ibrahim Babangida regime. Members of the Ogoni Nine and Ogoni Four were also listed among the beneficiaries.
Herbert Macaulay and Mamman Vatsa Among Beneficiaries
Herbert Macaulay was twice convicted by colonial authorities in Lagos, first in 1913 for alleged misappropriation of estate funds and later in 1928 for sedition during the Eleko of Lagos agitation, a case that sparked nationalist fervor. Historians have long debated the fairness of those trials.
Maj.-Gen. Mamman Vatsa, a poet and childhood friend of Babangida, was executed by firing squad on March 5, 1986, after a secret military tribunal convicted him of treason. His case has remained one of Nigeria’s most controversial executions, with recurring calls for a posthumous pardon.
Breakdown of the Presidential Pardon
Out of the 175 beneficiaries, the Council approved:
- 82 inmates granted full presidential pardon,
- 65 inmates with reduced sentences, and
- 7 death sentences commuted to life imprisonment.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State said the decision “underscores the President’s commitment to justice and correctional reform.”
Other Key Approvals
The meeting, chaired by President Tinubu, also ratified several appointments, including:
- Dr. Aminu Yusuf (Niger State) — Chairman, National Population Commission
- Tonge Bularafa (Yobe State) — Federal Commissioner, National Population Commission
Both nominations received unanimous approval from the Council of State members.
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