Presidential pardon: AGF orders multi-agency probe

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has ordered a multi-agency review of the proposed presidential pardon list, The PUNCH has learnt.

Involved in the probe of the list are the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and the police.

The exercise may result in more than half of the nominees being dropped.

President Bola Tinubu is said to be awaiting the submission of the vetted list for his final endorsement, amid efforts to ensure only eligible beneficiaries were cleared.

The President had, in the exercise of his constitutional powers, granted clemency to 175 persons convicted of various offences.

The pardon was announced by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), at the Council of State meeting held on Thursday, October 9, 2025.

Fagbemi (SAN) listed illegal miners, white-collar convicts, drug offenders, foreigners, Maj Gen Mamman Vatsa, Prof Magaji Garba, Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni Eight, as well as capital offenders such as Maryam Sanda, among the 175 convicts and former convicts who received presidential pardon.

The full list was released in a statement from the Presidency on Saturday, October 11, 2025.

The list of beneficiaries was divided into six categories: Those granted pardon, posthumous pardon (including the Ogoni Nine), victims of the Ogoni Nine honoured, presidential clemency (clemency beneficiaries), inmates recommended for reduced terms of imprisonment, and inmates on death row whose sentences were commuted to life imprisonment.

However, the inclusion of some names on the list sparked controversy, as security, law enforcement, and anti-graft agencies opposed the presence of certain high-profile offenders.

The EFCC, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, NDLEA, police, among others, reportedly moved to halt the release of some individuals on the list.

On October 16, Fagbemi (SAN), however, clarified that the presidential prerogative of mercy recently announced by the President was still under review and had not been finalised.

His clarification came as some officials alleged that some low-level officers on the committee ‘smuggled in’ names not originally recommended for clemency.

“They have now sent the list to NDLEA and other security agencies for review. Some of the names on the list did not meet the criteria. Some low-level officers bypassed the criteria.

“In fact, some of the cases are still fresh. The good thing is that they are still in custody; they have not been released,” an official of one of the security agencies told The PUNCH on condition of anonymity.

Multiple top Federal Government officials with direct knowledge of the matter confirmed that the list, currently undergoing a rigorous screening process, had been sent to the EFCC, ICPC, NDLEA, and police, among other agencies, for comprehensive background checks by the office of the Attorney General.

A top official in the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation told The PUNCH that the process was deliberately designed to prevent a repeat of past controversies surrounding questionable pardons.