The executions sparked global condemnation and led to Nigeria’s suspension from the Commonwealth at the time.

The family of Ken Saro-Wiwa, one of the nine Ogoni activists executed by the Sani Abacha regime in 1995, has called on President Bola Tinubu to go beyond granting posthumous national honours and initiate a judicial review of the trial that led to their killing.

This comes days after President Tinubu, during his June 12 address to a joint session of the National Assembly, announced a full state pardon and the conferment of national honours on the slain activists, widely known as the ‘Ogoni 9’. 

The executions sparked global condemnation and led to Nigeria’s suspension from the Commonwealth at the time.

“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 in the address.

“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.”

Reacting to the announcement in a statement made available to SaharaReporters on Friday evening, the family of Ken Saro-Wiwa acknowledged the gesture but insisted that justice must go further than symbolic recognition.

The statement reads: "The family of Ken Saro-Wiwa acknowledges President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s presidential pardon and the conferment of national honours on Ken Saro-Wiwa, Saturday Dobee, Nordu Eawo, Daniel Gbokoo, Paul Levura, Felix Nuate, Baribor Bera, Barinem Kiobel, John Kpuinen and Ledum Mitee." 

"We appreciate the conferment of Commander Order of the Niger (CON) on our Father and OON on the other eight Ogoni activists in recognition of their peaceful campaign for environmental justice, political and human rights in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria." 

"We want to believe that the conferment of these national honours symbolises the innocence of these heroes and further reinforces the global view that the judgement given almost 30 years ago was flawed and their execution considered to be judicial murder. 

"In fact, our father and his compatriots were innocent and peaceful activists who drew the attention of the world to the plight of the Ogoni people who suffered environmental devastation due to oil drilling by Shell." 

"While thanking President Bola Tinubu for doing the right thing, we further request a review of the judicial proceedings leading to the erroneous judgement, which occasioned such a colossal loss to our family, the Ogoni people and concerned Nigerians." 

"Such a review will heal all wounds and ensure that further miscarriages of justice are not continuously visited on persons protesting their fundamental rights as guaranteed in the Constitution. We believe that this review will lead to a complete exoneration of our heroes." 

The statement was signed by Noo Saro-Wiwa, daughter of the late environmentalist and writer.

Ken Saro-Wiwa and the others were sentenced to death after a military tribunal found them guilty of murder in what has widely been condemned as a sham trial. 

They were accused of involvement in the killing of four Ogoni chiefs, but human rights groups, international observers, and activists around the world maintained that the charges were politically motivated due to their opposition to environmental destruction by oil multinationals, especially Shell, in the Niger Delta.