Amnesty International has expressed profound concern regarding President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent decision to grant clemency and pardons to individuals convicted of serious human rights violations, warning that the move risks entrenching impunity in Nigeria.
In a strong statement released on Monday, the rights group argued that the manner in which the exercise was conducted failed to uphold the principles of restorative justice for those who suffered harm. “The way and manner Nigerian authorities carried out the exercise seemed to prioritise the perpetrators instead of access to justice and effective remedies for the victims and their families,” Amnesty International Nigeria stated.
The organization issued a stern warning that granting such clemency could have detrimental long-term effects on the country’s legal and moral standing. It stressed that the decision could weaken the rule of law, obstruct truth and accountability, and further entrench impunity for human rights crimes across the nation.
Amnesty International urged President Tinubu to immediately review the pardons and implement measures to ensure that the rights of victims and their families—including their right to justice, truth, and reparations—are fully protected and upheld. This condemnation puts direct pressure on the administration to explain the process and criteria used for these high-profile pardons, which included the late Major-General Mamman Vatsa and the posthumous pardon of the Ogoni Nine.
