The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), on Wednesday explained why President Bola Tinubu reviewed the initial list of 175 convicts earlier shortlisted for presidential pardon.
He said the revision was conducted to ensure that only those who fulfilled the stipulated legal and procedural criteria benefited from the prerogative of mercy.
According to the AGF, the process has been concluded, and the President has approved the final list of beneficiaries.
“During this final review, few persons earlier recommended were found not to have met the necessary requirements and were accordingly delisted, while in some other cases, sentences were reviewed and reduced to reflect fairness, justice, and the spirit of the exercise,” the AGF stated in a document he personally signed and released to journalists.
Meanwhile, the final list, a copy of which was obtained, revealed that among the 86 individuals whose sentences were reduced by President Tinubu was Maryam Sanda, daughter-in-law of a former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who had been sentenced to death for culpable homicide.
An Abuja High Court had, on January 27, 2020, sentenced Maryam to death by hanging after finding her guilty of stabbing her husband, Bilyamin Bello, to death at their residence in Abuja in 2017.
Although she had been in Suleja prison for six years and eight months, the presidential pardon reduced her total sentence to 12 years “based on compassionate ground, in the best interest of the children, good conduct, embraced a new lifestyle, model to prisoners and remorsefulness.”
Also listed was one Chukwukelu Sunday Calistus, whose life sentence for drug-related offences was reduced to 20 years after spending 11 years in prison.
Yusuf Owolabi, who had been sentenced to life imprisonment in 2015 for manslaughter, had his term reduced to 15 years after serving 10 years, while Ifeanyi Eze, convicted of a similar offence, also had his sentence cut to 15 years after four years in prison.
Another inmate, Mallam Ibrahim Sulaiman, who was serving a life sentence for armed robbery and illegal possession of firearms, had his term reduced to 15 years after already serving two years.
Among other beneficiaries was one Samson Ajayi, who received a 15-year jail sentence in 2022 but now has it reduced to 10 years. Similarly, Alhaji Abubakar Tanko’s 30-year sentence for culpable homicide was reduced to 20 years after he had served seven years.
One Nnamdi Anene, convicted in 2010 and sentenced to life imprisonment for illegal arms dealing, was granted clemency to serve only 20 years.
Other inmates on the list were convicted for lesser offences such as unlawful mining, conspiracy to hijack a fishing vessel, forgery, obtaining by false pretence, possession of cannabis, fraud, and criminal breach of trust.
The beneficiaries were described as remorseful individuals who demonstrated good conduct in prison and had acquired vocational or educational skills.
Likewise, in three additional lists, the Federal Government disclosed that 15 individuals were granted clemency, another 15, including Saro Wiwa and Herbert Macaulay, were granted posthumous pardon, while four death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment.
Announcing the completion of the Presidential Prerogative of Mercy exercise, the AGF said the review reflected President Tinubu’s resolve “to balance justice with compassion and the belief that justice must not only punish but also reform and redeem.”
He stated, “The review was undertaken with meticulous commitment to due process to reinforce the administration’s broader commitment to justice reform and humane correctional practices in line with international standards.
“To ensure that future exercises meet public expectations and best practices, the President has directed the immediate relocation of the Secretariat of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy from the Federal Ministry of Special Duties to the Federal Ministry of Justice.
“The President has further directed the Attorney-General of the Federation to issue appropriate Guidelines for the Exercise of the Power of Prerogative of Mercy, which includes compulsory consultation with relevant prosecuting agencies.
“This will ensure that only persons who fully meet the stipulated legal and procedural requirements will henceforth benefit from the issuance of instruments of release.
“I commend the public for their patience and constructive engagement throughout the process, and assure Nigerians that the government remains steadfast in promoting a justice system that upholds human dignity while safeguarding national security and social order,” the AGF’s statement added.
