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Major General Mamman Jiya Vatsa, sentenced to decease implicit a treason complaint successful 1986, has received a posthumous pardon from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Vatsa, a poet, was among the 17 radical who received statesmanlike pardons pursuing the endorsement of the National Council of State, which met successful Abuja connected Thursday.
According to a connection by Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu besides granted a posthumous pardon to Herbert Macaulay, a Nigerian nationalist and co-founder, on with Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, of the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC). Macaulay was the party’s archetypal president and played a pivotal relation successful Nigeria’s conflict for independence.
However, successful 1913, Macaulay was believed unjustly convicted by the British colonialists and banned from nationalist office. Macaulay died successful 1946, but the stigma of being an ex-convict was not exorcised from his records until now.
President Tinubu besides pardoned 4 erstwhile convicts, including erstwhile House of Representatives member, Farouk Lawan, Mrs Anastasia Daniel Nwaobia, Barrister Hussaini Umar and Ayinla Saadu Alanamu.
They were pardoned to alteration them to integrate into society, having demonstrated capable remorse. Nweke Francis Chibueze, serving a beingness condemnation for cocaine, was pardoned, on with Dr Nwogu Peters, who had served 12 retired of his 17-year condemnation for fraud.
The Ogoni Nine: Ken Saro Wiwa, Saturday Dobee, Nordu Eawo, Daniel Gbooko, Paul Levera, Felix Nuate, Baribor Bera, Barinem Kiobel and John Kpuine were formally pardoned. At the aforesaid time, the President awarded nationalist honours to the Ogoni Four- Chief Albert Badey, Chief Edward Kobani, Chief Samuel Orage, and Theophilus Orage.
In exercising his law powerfulness of mercy, President Tinubu granted clemency to 82 inmates and reduced the situation presumption of 65 others. He besides gave 7 inmates connected decease enactment a reprieve by commuting their sentences to beingness imprisonment.
President Tinubu acted connected the recommendations of the Presidential Advisory Committee connected the Prerogative of Mercy(PACPM). The committee has 12 members, including the Attorney General and Justice Minister, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, who is chairman.
The different members are Chief Akinlolu Olujinmi, CON; Prof. Alkasum Abba; Prof. (Mrs.) Nike Y. Sidikat Ijaiya; Justice Augustine B. Utsaha; and the Secretary, Dr Onwusoro Maduka, a erstwhile Permanent Secretary.
The organization representatives connected the Committee are: the Permanent Secretary, Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs; representatives of the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Correctional Service, National Human Rights Commission, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), and Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
The committee’s last study was presented to the Council of State connected Thursday successful Abuja, arsenic required by the constitution.
The study noted, “A full of 175 inmates were interviewed, and 62 applications were received connected behalf of 119 inmates considered by the committee, making the full 294.
“One 100 and sixty of the inmates interviewed were male, portion 15 were female. Eighty-two inmates were recommended for clemency; 2 (2) for pardon; sixty-five (65) inmates for simplification of their presumption of imprisonment, and 7 (7) inmates connected decease enactment for commutation to beingness imprisonment.
“Also, 15 (15) ex-convicts were recommended for Presidential Pardon, eleven (11) of them are deceased (including Ogoni 9). The Ogoni 4 (4) were besides recommended for the Post-Humous National Honours Award.
“On the whole, a full of 1 100 and seventy-five (175) beneficiaries are recommended.’’
The committee had acted connected the pursuing criteria: aged property (60 years and above); sick wellness apt to terminate successful death; young persons (16 years and below); semipermanent convicts who person served situation presumption of 10 years oregon much with a bully record; and convicts serving 3 years oregon more
“Those who person been successful Custodial centres, learnt sustainable vocational trades susceptible of keeping them distant from crime; those who are adjudged remorseful; those who Correctional Officers recommended for exemplary behaviour and Nigerian prisoners deported from different countries.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume, inaugurated the Presidential Advisory Committee connected Prerogative of Mercy (PACPM) connected January 15, 2025, arsenic a important measurement towards promoting justice, rehabilitation, and quality rights successful Nigeria.
In a related development, the National Council of State has approved the assignment of Dr Aminu Yusuf from Niger State arsenic the caller Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC) and endorsed the assistance of statesmanlike clemency to 175 inmates crossed the country.
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