Tinubu Pardons Herbert Macaulay, Mamman Vatsa, 173 Others

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the presidential prerogative of mercy for 175 individuals, including Nigeria’s founding nationalist Herbert Macaulay and former Federal Capital Territory Minister, Maj.-Gen. Mamman Vatsa (retd).

The decision was ratified by the Council of State during its meeting on Thursday at the State House, Abuja, following a presentation by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).

Fagbemi, who made the presentation on behalf of the President, explained that the beneficiaries were selected from recommendations by the Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, which reviewed various requests for clemency in accordance with constitutional guidelines.

Although the full list has yet to be officially released, sources confirmed that among those pardoned are prominent historical figures such as Herbert Macaulay and Mamman Vatsa, as well as members of the Ogoni Nine and Ogoni Four — whose cases have long stirred national and international debate.

Herbert Macaulay, widely regarded as the father of Nigerian nationalism, was twice convicted by British colonial authorities in Lagos. In 1913, while serving as a private surveyor, he was prosecuted and jailed over allegations of fund mismanagement from an estate he managed — charges historians have described as politically motivated.

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