Nigeria’s Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has launched a comprehensive review of the 175-person presidential pardon list approved by the Council of State last week, directing key law enforcement agencies to vet nominees and eliminate ineligible entries.

The probe, confirmed Tuesday by multiple government sources, involves the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the Nigeria Police Force. The review aims to identify “smuggled” names—individuals who bypassed committee screening and may still be under investigation for corruption, drug offenses, or violent crimes.

“More than half are likely to be dropped,” a presidency source revealed, citing low-level insertions that escaped initial scrutiny. The exercise, prompted by pushback from security agencies, aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to transparency and accountability.

Fagbemi’s October 16 statement paused the release of pardoned individuals, describing the hold as standard protocol for integrity checks. The original list, unveiled October 11, includes posthumous clemency for the Ogoni Nine—among them environmental activist Ken Saro-Wiwa—as well as sentence reductions and commutations for death row inmates like Maryam Sanda, convicted in 2018 for the murder of her husband.

Security agencies raised concerns over controversial inclusions such as convicted kidnapper Kelvin Oniarah and arms trafficker Maj. Alabi Akubo, prompting calls for deeper background investigations. A senior aide to the AGF emphasized the importance of due diligence: “The process is ongoing… to meet legal and ethical standards.”

While politically exposed figures like former lawmaker Farouk Lawan may remain on the list, violent offenders are expected to be removed. Agencies are currently cross-checking records, with preliminary flags raised on several fresh cases.

The review places Tinubu’s constitutional prerogative of mercy under scrutiny, balancing the goals of prison decongestion and national reconciliation against public outrage over perceived impunity. The final, vetted list is expected to be submitted to the president by the end of the month for approval.