President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is under intense fire from opposition leaders and concerned Nigerians following his decision to grant presidential pardons and clemency to 175 convicted criminals a list that controversially includes dozens of drug traffickers and individuals jailed for serious offences.
The sweeping act of clemency, announced earlier this week, has triggered widespread condemnation, with critics accusing the administration of undermining Nigeria’s justice system and weakening its anti-drug enforcement drive.
The most contentious aspect of the pardon involves the release of more than 30 convicted drug offenders, representing nearly 30% of those granted clemency. Among the beneficiaries is Maryam Sanda, who had been sentenced to death for the murder of her husband a case that drew national attention in 2017.
Observers and activists have described the move as a dangerous precedent that sends the wrong message in a country still battling deep-rooted drug abuse and trafficking challenges.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), was among the first to criticize the decision, calling it “shocking and indefensible.”
“This is a misuse of presidential powers that weakens confidence in the rule of law,” Atiku stated.
He went on to question the “moral irony” of President Tinubu’s decision, given past controversies involving a U.S. drug-related forfeiture case linked to the president. According to Atiku, granting mercy to convicted traffickers sends a “dangerous signal to both Nigerians and the international community.”
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) also issued a blistering statement, condemning the pardons as “pathetic and a national disgrace.”
“It is the height of irresponsibility to grant clemency to those who have barely served their sentences,” the party said.
The ADC further argued that the act “makes a mockery” of the sacrifices made by officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and portrays Nigeria as “sympathetic to drug dealers rather than victims of the trade.”
In response to the backlash, the Presidency defended the decision, claiming that all pardoned individuals had shown genuine remorse and acquired vocational skills during incarceration. It also described the exercise as a humanitarian gesture aligned with the government’s commitment to prison decongestion and second chances.
However, legal analysts and civic groups insist that the clemency list was politically motivated, undermining the credibility of Nigeria’s justice reform agenda and damaging the country’s anti-narcotics reputation.
As public outrage mounts, questions continue to swirl over the timing, transparency, and moral justification behind Tinubu’s Presidential Pardon of Drug Offenders, with many calling for a formal review of the clemency process.
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