Faced by a garage of criticisms and mockery in some quarters, over the recent Presidential Prerogative of Mercy exercise in which President Bola Tinubu announced pardon for people convicted for various categories of crimes, the Federal Government has clarified that no inmate has been released, stressing that the process is still undergoing final administrative review.
Tinubu had recently granted a pardon to foremost nationalist, Sir Herbert Macaulay, and 174 others.
This followed approval by the Council of State which last week and approved the recommendations forwarded to it.
Among the beneficiaries are notable figures such as the late Barr. Ken Saro-Wiwa, the environmental activist, and former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Maj-Gen. Mamman Vatsa, who was executed in 1986 for alleged coup plotting.
The pardon list also includes Maryam Sanda, who was sentenced to death in 2020 for killing her husband, and other inmates whose sentences were commuted or reduced, and ex-convicts deemed eligible by the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy.
The exercise had attracted sharp criticisms from different quarters over what was seen as lack of diligence in extending the gesture.
There were allegations that among those pardoned by the President were several convicted drug barons and hardened kidnappers, thus making nonsense of efforts to discourage youths from taking to the path of crime and our a laughing stock to the nation’s Judiciary.
However, in a statement on Thursday, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), said the exercise remains at the stage of verifying and reviewing the list of beneficiaries before the issuance of formal instruments of release.
Fagbemi explained that although the Council of State had approved recommendations for clemency, the final stage requires a detailed review to ensure that all the names listed comply with legal and procedural standards.
Statement from his office disclosed: “The Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice wishes to clarify that no inmate approved for clemency under the recent exercise of the President’s power of prerogative of mercy has been released from custody.
“The process remains at the final administrative stage, which includes a standard review to ensure that all names and recommendations fully comply with established legal and procedural requirements before any instrument of release is issue”.
Fagbemi added that the issuance of the instrument of implementation marks the last phase of the process, after which the Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service will be authorised to act.
According to the AGF, the review phase is part of standard protocol and demonstrates the government’s commitment to transparency, due diligence, and the rule of law.
The AGF commended the public for its interest and scrutiny of the exercise, describing such engagement as evidence of Nigerians’ commitment to justice and good governance.
“There is no delay in the process; it is simply following the law to the letter to ensure that only those duly qualified benefit from the President’s mercy,” he stated.
The Minister assured that the public would be duly informed once all legal and procedural checks are completed.
“As soon as all legal and procedural checks are concluded, the public will be duly informed. The rule of law does not rush; it ensures fairness,” he said.
