See Full List of 175 Nigerians Tinubu Granted Presidential Pardon

By
Vicky MTB
-
0
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu 1

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the release and clemency of 175 persons through a wide-ranging presidential pardon, including posthumous recognitions for late nationalist Herbert Macaulay, environmental activist Ken Saro-Wiwa, and the late Major-General Mamman Vatsa.

Also among the beneficiaries is Maryam Sanda, who was sentenced to death for the murder of her husband, and several inmates serving long or life sentences across correctional facilities in the country.

The decision followed recommendations by the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, chaired by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).

According to a statement by Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the list is divided into six categories: pardoned, posthumous pardon (including the Ogoni Nine), victims of the Ogoni Nine honoured, presidential clemency (for serving inmates), reduced terms of imprisonment, and inmates on death row whose sentences have been commuted to life imprisonment.

List of Beneficiaries

Pardoned

  1. Nweke Francis Chibueze, 44, life sentence for cocaine (Kirikiri)
  2. Dr. Nwogu Peters, 67, 17 years for fraud (sentenced 2013)
  3. Mrs. Anastasia Daniel Nwaoba, 63, served sentence for fraud
  4. Barr. Hussaini Alhaji Umar, 58, fined ₦150M in ICPC case (2023)
  5. Ayinla Saadu Alanamu, 63, seven years for bribery (2019)
  6. Hon. Farouk M. Lawan, 62, five years for corrupt practices (2021)

Posthumous Pardon

  • Sir Herbert Macaulay – banned from public office by colonialists in 1913
  • Major-General Mamman Jiya Vatsa – executed in 1986 for alleged coup plot

The Ogoni Nine (Posthumous)

  1. Ken Saro-Wiwa
  2. Saturday Dobee
  3. Nordu Eawa
  4. Daniel Gbooko
  5. Paul Levera
  6. Felix Nuate
  7. Baribor Bera
  8. Barinem Kiobel
  9. John Kpuine

Victims of the Ogoni Nine Honoured

  1. Chief Albert Badey
  2. Chief Edward Kobaru
  3. Chief Samuel Orage
  4. Chief Theophilus Orage

Presidential Clemency Granted

A. Drug-Related Offences 

Possession, Sale, or Use of Cannabis/Indian Hemp

  1. Aluagwu Lawrence (47) – Selling Indian hemp, 2015
  2. Ben Friday (60) – Marijuana, 2023
  3. Oroke Micheal Chibueze (21) – Cannabis sativa, 2023
  4. Ahmed Adeyemo (38) – Cannabis, sentenced to 15 years (served 9y 5m)
  5. Adeniyi Jimoh (31) – Drugs, 2015 (served 9 years)
  6. Seun Omirinde (39) – Drugs, 2015 (served 9 years)
  7. Fidelis Michael (40) – Cannabis sativa
  8. Suru Akande (52) – Cannabis sativa
  9. Safiyanu Umar (56) – Possessing 5 kg of cannabis sativa, 2023
  10. Hamza Abubakar (37) – Indian hemp (selling), 2022
  11. Mujibu Muhammad (30) – Cannabis, 2022
  12. Bala Azika Yahaya (70) – Cannabis, 2017
  13. Buhari Sani (33) – Possession of 558g of cannabis, 2022
  14. Mohammed Musa (27) – Possession of 16g of cannabis, 2022
  15. Muharazu Abubakar (37) – Selling Indian hemp, 2022 (served 3 years)
  16. Ibrahim Yusuf (34) – Possession of 5.7g of Indian hemp, 2022
  17. Richard Ayuba (38) – Indian hemp, 2022
  18. Edwin Nnazor (60) – Cannabis, 2018 (served 6y 9m)
  19. Nsikat Edet Harry (37) – Illegal possession of Indian hemp, cocaine & heroin, 2023
  20. Jonathan Asuquo (28) – Possession of Indian hemp & other drugs, 2022
  21. Emmanuel Eze (49) – Heroin, 2022

Importation or Dealing in Hard Drugs (Cocaine/Tramadol)

  1. Kelvin Christopher Smith (42) – Importing cocaine, 2023
  2. Azubuike Jeremiah Emeka (31) – Importing cocaine, 2021
  3. Akinrinnade Akinwande Adebiyi (47) – Dealing in Tramadol, 2023
  4. Adam Abubakar (30) – Possession of 2kg of Tramadol, 2022
  5. Emmanuel Yusuf (34) – Possession of 2kg of Tramadol, 2022
  6. Abiodun Elemero (43) – Cocaine hawking, sentenced to life in 2014 (served 10+ years)
  7. Ifenna Kennechukwu (42) – Cocaine import, 2015 (term later reduced)
  8. Mgbeike Matthew (45) – Import of 3.10kg of drugs, 2013 (term later reduced)

B. Unlawful Mining Offences

(All sentenced in 2024 to 3 years imprisonment)

  1. Babangida Saliu (35)
  2. Adamu Sanni (39)
  3. Abdulkarem Salisu (30)
  4. Abdulaziz Lawal (18)
  5. Abdulrahman Babangida (20)
  6. Maharazu Alidu (22)
  7. Zaharadeen Baliue (38)
  8. Babangida Usman (30)
  9. Zayyanu Abdullahi (28)
  10. Bashir Garuba (20)
  11. Imam Suleman (25)
  12. Abbeh Amisu (28)
  13. Lawani Lurwanu (20)
  14. Yusuf Alhassan (33)
  15. Abdulahi Isah (25)
  16. Zayanu Bello (35)
  17. Habeeb Suleman (22)
  18. Jubrin Sahabi (23)
  19. Shefiu Umar (28)
  20. Seidu Abubakar (29)
  21. Haruna Abubakar (24)
  22. Rabiu Seidu (26)
  23. Macha Kuru (25)
  24. Zahradeen Aminu (25)
  25. Nazipi Musa (25)
  26. Abdullahi Musa (30)
  27. Habibu Safiu (20)
  28. Husseni Sani (21)
  29. Musa Lawali (25)
  30. Suleiman Lawal (23)
  31. Yusuf Iliyasu (21)
  32. Sebiyu Aliyu (20)
  33. Halliru Sani (18)
  34. Shittu Aliyu (30)
  35. Sanusi Aminu (27)
  36. Isiaka Adamu (40)
  37. Mamman Ibrahim (50)
  38. Shuaibu Abdullahi (35)
  39. Sanusi Adamu (28)
  40. Sadi Musa (20)
  41. Haruna Isah (35)

C. Homicide and Murder Cases

  1. Lina Kusum Wilson (34) – Death sentence, culpable homicide, 2017 (served 8 years)
  2. Ex-Corporal Michael Bawa (72) – Life imprisonment for murder, 2005 (served 20 years)
  3. Maryam Sanda (37) – Death sentence, culpable homicide, 2020 (served 6y 8m)
  4. Ajasper Benzeger (69) – Culpable homicide, 2015 (term later reduced)

D. Theft, Fraud, and Related Offences

  1. Adesanya Olufemi Paul (61) – Theft, 14 years (served 8 years)
  2. Daniel Bodunwa (43) – Forgery of land receipt, 2018 (served 6 years)
  3. Rabiu Alhassan Dawaki (52) – Criminal breach of trust, 2020
  4. Prince Samuel Peters (54) – Obtaining money by false pretence, 2020 (served 4y 3m)
  5. Saad Ahmed Madaki (72) – 419 offence, 2020 (served 4 years)
  6. Shettima Maaji Arfo (54) – Corrupt practices, 2021 (term later reduced)

E. Human Trafficking

  1. Ife Yusuf (37) – Human trafficking, 2019 (served 6 years)

F. Robbery and Firearms

  1. Dahiru Abdullahi (46) – Possession of 3 pistols, 2016 (served 10 years)
  2. Malam Ibrahim Sulaiman (59) – Armed robbery & illegal firearms, 2022 (term reduced)
  3. Johnny Ntheru (63) – Life imprisonment for robbery, 1989 (served 36 years)

G. Other Offences

  1. Chinedu Stanley (34) – Fake lubricant oil, 2023
  2. John Omotiye (28) – Pipeline vandalism

H. List of Inmates with Reduced Sentences

  1. Yusuf Owolabi (36) – Manslaughter, life sentence (2015), reduced to 12 years
  2. Ifeanyi Eze (33) – Manslaughter, life sentence (2021), reduced to 12 years
  3. Malam Ibrahim Sulaiman (59) – Armed robbery, reduced to 10 years
  4. Shettima Maaji Arfo (54) – Corrupt practices, reduced to 4 years
  5. Ajasper Benzeger (69) – Culpable homicide, reduced to 12 years
  6. Ifenna Kennechukwu (42) – Cocaine import, reduced to 12 years
  7. Mgbeike Matthew (45) – Drug import, reduced to 12 years

 Drug-Related Offences

  1. Patrick Mensah (40) – 17 years (2015, drugs) → 11 years
  2. Obi Edwin Chukwu (43) – 15 years (2017, drugs) → 10 years
  3. Tunde Balogun (32) – 15 years (2015, drugs) → 10 years
  4. Lima Pereira Erick Diego (27) – 15 years or ₦20m fine (2017, drugs) → 10 years
  5. Uchegbu Emeka Michael (37) – 15 years or ₦20m fine (2017, drugs) → 10 years
  6. Salawu Adebayo Samsudeen (46) – 15 years (2016, drugs) → 10 years
  7. Odeyemi Omolaram (65) – 25 years (2017, drugs) → 12 years (age, remorse)
  8. Samson Ajayi (31) – 15 years (2022, drugs) → 7 years (remorse, good conduct)
  9. Iyabo Binyoyo (49) – 10 years (2017, drugs) → 9 years (good conduct)
  10. Chukwukelu Sunday Calisthus (47) – Life (2014, drugs) → 13 years
  11. Gabriel Juliet Chidimma (32) – 6 years (2022, cocaine) → 4 years
  12. Nriagu Augustine Ifeanyi (44) – 10 years (2018, cocaine export) → 8 years
  13. Chukwudi Destiny (36) – 6 years (2022, heroin import) → 4 years
  14. Felix Rotimi Esemokhai (47) – 5 years (2022, heroin) → 4 years
  15. Isaac Justina (40) – 10 years (2022, cannabis sativa) → 4 years
  16. Aishat Kehinde (38) – 5 years (2022, cannabis possession) → 4 years
  17. Helen Solomon (68) – 5 years (2024, cannabis sativa) → 3 years
  18. Okoye Tochukwu (43) – 6 years (2024, cannabis sativa) → 3 years
  19. Ugwueze Paul (38) – 6 years (2024, cannabis sativa) → 3 years
  20. Napolo Osariemen (61) – 15 years (2022, 2kg Indian hemp) → 7 years

Trafficking in Persons (Human Trafficking)

  1. Patricia Echoe Igninovia (61) – 7 years (2023) → 5 years
  2. Vera Daniel Ifork (29) – 10 years (2020) → 8 years

Fraud, Cheating, and False Pretence

  1. Alh. Ibrahim Hameed (71) – 7 years (2023, obtaining property under false pretence) → 5 years
  2. Alh. Nasiru Ogara Adinoyi (65) – 14 years (2023, false pretence) → 7 years
  3. Chief Emeka Agbodike (69) – 7 years (2023, false pretence) → 3 years
  4. Bukar Adamu (40) – 20 years (2019, advance fee fraud) → 9 years
  5. Professor Magaji Garba (67) – 7 years (2021, false pretence) → 4 years (good conduct, age)
  6. Chief Jonathan Alatoru (66) – 7 years (2021, conspiracy to cheat) → 5 years
  7. Utom Obong Thomson Udoaka (60) – 7 years (2020, false pretence) → 5 years (age, conduct)

Firearms and Arms-Related Offences

  1. Abubakar Mamman (38) – 10 years (2020, firearms possession) → 7 years
  2. Muhammed Bello Musa (35) – 10 years (2020, illegal firearms possession) → 7 years
  3. Nnamdi Anene (67) – Life (2010, illegal dealing in arms) → 20 years
  4. Major S.A. Akubo (62) – Life (2009, removal of 7,000 weapons) → 20 years

Homicide and Manslaughter

  1. Alh. Abubakar Tanko (61) – 30 years (2018, culpable homicide) → 20 years
  2. Markus Yusuf (41) – 13 years (2023, culpable homicide) → 5 years (ill-health)
  3. John Ibiam (39) – 15 years (2016, manslaughter) → 10 years (skills training, remorse)
  4. Omoka Aja (40) – 15 years (2016, manslaughter) → 10 years

Kidnapping

  1. Chisom Francis Wisdom (30) – 20 years (2018, kidnapping) → 12 years
  2. Kelvin Oniarah Ezigbe (44) – 20 years (2023, kidnapping; retroactive from 2013) → 13 years
  3. Frank Azuekor (42) – 20 years (2023, kidnapping; serving since 2013) → 13 years

Theft, Conspiracy, and Cheating

  1. Rakiya Beida (33) – 7 years (2021, theft & cheating) → 3 years
  2. Chief Jonathan Alatoru (66) – 7 years (2021, conspiracy to cheat) → 5 years

Unlawful Possession / Other Offences

  1. Mutsapha Ahmed (46) – 7 years (2022, criminal breach of trust) → 5 years
  2. Iniobong Imaeyen Ntukidem (46) – 7 years (2021, unspecified offence) → 5 years
  3. Ada Audu (72) – 7 years (2022, unspecified offence) → 4 years (old age)

Maritime Crime – Hijacking of Fishing Vessels (Ikoyi Custodial Centre, 2020)

(All originally sentenced to 12 years and ₦1M fine; fines waived; sentences reduced)

  1. Jude Saka Ebaragha (44) – 6 years
  2. Frank Insort Abaka (46) – 6 years
  3. Shina Alolo (42) – 6 years
  4. Joshua Iwiki (50) – 6 years
  5. David Akinseye (44) – 6 years
  6. Ahmed Toyin (46) – 6 years
  7. Shobajo Saheed (57) – 6 years
  8. Mathew Masi (39) – 6 years
  9. Bright Agbedeyi (46) – 6 years
  10. Adamole Philip (52) – 7 years (slightly longer term, fine waived)

I. Death Sentences Commuted to Life Imprisonment

  1. Emmanuel Baba, 38 – culpable homicide (Kuje Custodial Centre)
  2. Emmanuel Gladstone, 45 – murder (Katsina Custodial Centre)
  3. Moses Ayodele Olurunfemi, 51 – culpable homicide (Katsina)
  4. Abubakar Usman, 59 – murder (Katsina)
  5. Khalifa Umar, 37 – murder (Kano Custodial Centre)
  6. Benjamin Ekeze, 40 – armed robbery and conspiracy (Kirikiri, Lagos)
  7. Mohammed Umar, 43 – culpable homicide (Onitsha Custodial Centre)

Background

The Prerogative of Mercy is a constitutional provision allowing the President to pardon, commute, or remit sentences after due consultation. President Tinubu’s approval of the 175 cases marks one of the largest exercises of executive clemency since Nigeria’s return to democracy.

The gesture, according to Bayo Onanuga, reflects the administration’s “commitment to justice tempered with mercy,” ensuring that deserving citizens are given a second chance at life and honour restored to historical figures unjustly punished.

Leave a Reply