Tinubu grants posthumous pardon, national honours to Ken Saro-Wiwa, other slain Ogoni leaders

President Bola Tinubu has granted a full presidential pardon to renowned environmental activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other members of the Ogoni Nine, nearly 30 years after their controversial execution.

The president made the announcement during a Democracy Day address to a joint session of the National Assembly on Thursday, invoking his constitutional authority under the Prerogative of Mercy. He described the men as “national heroes.”

In addition to the pardons, Tinubu also posthumously awarded national honours to the late campaigners, conferring the title of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) on Saro-Wiwa and Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) on the other eight.

“Furthermore, I also confer posthumous national honours on Ken Saro Wiwa (CON), the leader of the Ogoni Nine, and his fellow travellers, Saturday Dobee (OON), Nordu Eawo (OON), Daniel Gbooko (OON), Paul Levera (OON), Felix Nuate (OON), Baribor Bera (OON), Barinem Kiobel (OON), and John Kpuine (OON),” Tinubu said.

“I shall also be exercising my powers under the prerogative of mercy to grant these national heroes a full pardon, together with others whose names shall be announced later in conjunction with the National Council of State,” he added.

The Ogoni Nine, as they came to be known, were executed in 1995 under the military regime of the late General Sani Abacha after being convicted of murder in a trial widely condemned by human rights groups and the international community.

Their deaths sparked global outrage and increased scrutiny of Nigeria’s human rights record, especially concerning the treatment of environmental activists and minority communities in the Niger Delta.