Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has sharply criticised President Bola Tinubu’s recent presidential pardon of 175 convicts, arguing the move threatens the integrity of Nigeria’s justice system. The pardons, announced last Thursday and covering crimes ranging from homicide to fraud, have stirred intense debate about mercy, accountability, and the rule of law.
Atiku’s response, delivered via his X handle on Sunday, warns that the broad clemency extends mercy in a way that “emboldens criminality” and erodes public confidence in criminal justice. He insists that the presidential prerogative of mercy should balance justice with compassion—not be reduced to a tool that trivialises crime.
In his statement, Atiku singled out the inclusion of serious offenders—such as those convicted for drug trafficking, kidnapping, and homicide—as deeply troubling. He cautioned that pardoning such individuals during a time when Nigeria is battling insecurity and a surge in drug-related offences sends a dangerous signal about the government’s priorities.
“At a time when Nigeria continues to reel under the weight of insecurity … it is both shocking and indefensible that the presidency would prioritise clemency for those whose actions have directly undermined national stability,” he said.
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He also raised the figure that 29.2 per cent of the pardoned were convicted for drug offences—at a moment when drug abuse among youth remains a national concern. He further accused Tinubu’s administration of showing “worrying tolerance” toward individuals with criminal pasts, especially in light of unresolved scrutiny over forfeiture of funds tied to US drug-related investigations.
Atiku added: “Clemency must never be confused with complicity. When a government begins to absolve offenders of the very crimes it claims to be fighting, it erodes the moral authority of leadership.” In his formulation, the latest pardon has become a “mockery of the criminal justice system” and a demoralising gesture for victims and law enforcement alike.
The presidency, via a statement by Special Adviser Bayo Onanuga, defended the clemency exercise as one guided by mercy, reform, and historical redress.
According to the released breakdown: 82 inmates were granted full clemency, and 65 saw commutations or reductions in sentence. 7 prisoners on death row had their sentences commuted to life in prison. 17 individuals received full pardons; 11 of those were posthumous. Among the pardoned are prominent figures: Major General Mamman Vatsa, posthumously pardoned; nationalist Herbert Macaulay; and the Ogoni Nine, including Ken Saro-Wiwa.
Some pardons were justified by factors like age, health, remorse, vocational training in prison, or enrolment in educational programs.
Onanuga’s statement emphasised that the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, chaired by Attorney-General Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), submitted recommendations that were vetted by the National Council of State.
Atiku’s condemnation adds to a growing chorus of voices decrying the clemency as ill-timed and excessive. The president’s own spokesman in the Southeast, Denge Josef Onoh, has urged the reversal of pardons granted to convicted capital offenders such as Maryam Sanda and various drug traffickers, describing the decision as a “rape of justice.”
