Opposition parties and political leaders, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the African Democratic Congress (ADC), have condemned President Bola Tinubu’s decision to grant presidential pardons to dozens of convicted criminals — among them drug traffickers and individuals jailed for homicide and fraud — calling it a grave setback to Nigeria’s anti-drug campaign and a dangerous affront to justice.
The Presidency on Saturday published a list of 175 individuals granted the 2025 presidential pardon. Among the names were nationalist Herbert Macaulay and former military officer Major General Mamman Vatsa — both deceased — as well as Maryam Sanda, sentenced to death in 2020 for the murder of her husband.
The announcement has provoked a wave of criticism, with opposition groups accusing the government of abusing the presidential prerogative of mercy to favour individuals convicted of serious crimes. More than 30 of those pardoned were serving sentences for drug-related offences.
In a statement on Sunday, ADC National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi described the decision as “pathetic and a national disgrace,” warning that it undermines the integrity of Nigeria’s criminal justice system and erodes years of work by law enforcement agencies such as the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
“It amounts to a most irresponsible abuse of the presidential power of mercy to grant express pardon to dozens of convicts held for drug trafficking, smuggling, and related offences—especially when most of these convicts have barely served two years in jail for crimes that attract life imprisonment,” the party said.
The ADC argued that the move sends a dangerous message that mere remorse or token rehabilitation is enough to secure freedom, even for the most serious offences. “According to official statements, it appears that all it takes to get presidential clemency for even the worst of crimes in Nigeria—including drug trafficking, gun running, and murder—is to show remorse and learn skills,” it added.
“For years, NDLEA officers have risked life and limb to combat this problem. Granting clemency to individuals convicted under such laws makes a mockery of their sacrifice and gives the world the impression that Nigeria, under President Tinubu, is sympathetic to drug dealers and a safe haven for traffickers.”
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar also joined the criticism, describing the pardons as “shocking and indefensible” at a time when the country is struggling with insecurity, moral decay, and rising drug abuse among young people.
“The presidential power of mercy is meant to balance justice with compassion,” Atiku said. “Regrettably, the latest pardon issued by the Tinubu administration has done the very opposite. Extending clemency to individuals convicted of grave crimes such as drug trafficking, kidnapping, murder, and corruption diminishes the sanctity of justice and sends a dangerous signal to both the public and the international community.”
Atiku said it was “particularly worrisome” that nearly a third of those pardoned were convicted of drug-related offences, even as Nigeria battles an epidemic of narcotics use and global stigma linked to drug crimes.
In a pointed critique, he noted the “moral irony” of Tinubu’s decision, alluding to lingering controversies surrounding a decades-old U.S. drug-related forfeiture case. “It is therefore no surprise that this administration continues to show tolerance for individuals associated with criminal enterprise,” he said.
“A presidential pardon should symbolise restitution and moral reform,” Atiku added. “Instead, what we have witnessed is a mockery of the criminal justice system, an affront to victims, and a demoralisation of law enforcement. Clemency must never be confused with complicity.”
He called for a full review of the clemency process to ensure transparency and fairness, warning that “Nigeria needs leaders who defend justice, not those who undermine it.”
