President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a presidential pardon for notable Nigerians, including foremost nationalist and anti-colonial crusader, Sir Herbert Macaulay, former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Major General Mamman Jiya Vatsa (rtd.), and former House of Representatives member, Farouk Lawan, among others.
The decision, according to a statement from the Presidency, follows recommendations by the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, which reviewed several high-profile cases and historical figures deserving of national clemency.
Sir Herbert Macaulay, regarded as one of Nigeria’s founding fathers, played a pivotal role in the struggle against colonial rule. The symbolic pardon restores his name among Nigeria’s honoured national heroes.
Major General Mamman Vatsa, a poet and military officer, was executed in 1986 following allegations of involvement in a coup plot during the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida.
Similarly, Farouk Lawan, a former lawmaker convicted for bribery, was also among those granted clemency under the latest presidential pardon list.
The Presidency noted that the gesture reflects President Tinubu’s commitment to national reconciliation, justice reform, and historical redress, in line with the spirit of renewed hope for the nation.
