The Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has ordered a multi-agency review of President Bola Tinubu’s 175-man pardon list amid allegations that ineligible names were fraudulently inserted.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has ordered a comprehensive, multi-agency review of the presidential pardon list following reports that some ineligible names were fraudulently added, The PUNCH reports.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the police are among the agencies vetting the list, which may see more than half of the nominees dropped.
President Bola Tinubu had, at the October 9, 2025 Council of State meeting, granted clemency to 175 convicts, including the late Maj. Gen. Mamman Vatsa, Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni Eight, as well as Maryam Sanda, convicted of killing her husband.
However, controversy trailed the inclusion of certain names, prompting the Justice Ministry to halt the process. “Some low-level officers at the level of the committee smuggled in some names. Obviously, the President is unaware of some of the names on that list,” a senior security official said.
Sources confirmed that the list was dispatched to relevant agencies for integrity checks before being forwarded to the President for final approval. “From what I’ve seen, more than half of the names are likely to be dropped once the agencies complete their findings,” an official in the Presidency disclosed.
Presidential spokesman Kamorudeen Ogundele confirmed the development, saying, “Yes, the review is ongoing. The ministry is working with relevant agencies to ensure that the process meets all legal and ethical standards.”
Officials said the review aims to prevent a recurrence of past controversies involving questionable presidential pardons. The final, vetted list will be submitted to President Tinubu after all security agencies conclude their assessments.