Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned President Bola Tinubu’s recent mass pardon, describing it as reckless and damaging to Nigeria’s justice system.
In a statement on Sunday, Atiku said the presidential prerogative of mercy should balance justice with compassion, not “trivialize grave crimes or reward wrongdoing.”
Tinubu had granted clemency to 175 convicts and former convicts — including Maryam Sanda, Ken Saro-Wiwa, and members of the Ogoni Eight based on recommendations from the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy.
Atiku criticised the inclusion of offenders convicted of serious crimes such as drug trafficking, murder, and fraud, saying it “erodes public trust and emboldens criminality.”
He also expressed concern that nearly 30% of those pardoned were drug offenders, calling it “deeply troubling” given Nigeria’s ongoing drug abuse crisis.
“Clemency must never be confused with complicity,” Atiku warned. “Nigeria deserves leadership that upholds justice, not one that trivializes it.”
