Under Pressure, Tinubu Considers Scrapping Controversial Names From Pardon List
By: Abudu Olalekan
On Thursday, whispers started spreading. Some names on the presidential pardon list—approved by the Council of State and presented by Attorney-General Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN)—might get the boot.
The news comes as people across the country are up in arms. The list includes some high-profile names—people convicted of violent crimes. And that’s got everyone talking.
Presidential pardons are usually handed out during big national holidays. The idea? Ease overcrowded prisons and promote reconciliation. But this time, things got messy.
Fagbemi clarified something important on Thursday. The pardon list isn’t final yet. “It’s still under review,” he said. No one’s been released.
Here’s the backstory. Back on October 9, 2025, the Council of State met. Fagbemi listed 175 convicts getting pardoned. Categories included everything from illegal miners to death row inmates. The full list dropped on October 11.
Some names didn’t raise eyebrows. Politically connected folks like Herbert Macaulay? Barely a peep. But then there were others.
Maryam Sanda, for example. She stabbed her husband to death in 2017. Her family split over the pardon—some accepted it, others didn’t. Then there’s Major S. Alabi Akubo. He got life for illegal firearms. And Kelvin Prosper Oniarah? A kidnapping kingpin with camps across multiple states.
Security agencies hit the roof. The EFCC, NDLEA, and others reportedly blocked some releases. Why? They claim certain names were “smuggled in” without proper vetting.
A presidential aide spilled the beans anonymously. “Some convicts on that list? They’re too dangerous to release. The agencies are pushing back hard.”
Another official added, “Low-level committee members might’ve snuck names in. The President probably didn’t even know about some of them.”
Fagbemi’s response? “The process is ongoing. We’re double-checking everything to make sure it’s fair and legal.”
He thanked the public for speaking up. “Your vigilance shows you care about justice. We’re taking this seriously.”
So what happens next? The list’s getting a trim. Names causing outrage? Likely gone. Only those who “genuinely deserve mercy” will stay, officials hint.
For now, the pardon process remains in limbo. But one thing’s clear—the government’s scrambling to fix a mess that’s got the whole country talking.
