President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's administration has recently overseen a flurry of significant activities across Nigeria, including a major presidential pardon program, debates on national security, police reforms, and educational sector unrest. The most prominent development is the granting of clemency to 175 individuals, a move endorsed by the National Council of State and based on recommendations from the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, chaired by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).

Among the beneficiaries of the presidential clemency is Maryam Sanda, 37, who was sentenced to death in 2020 for the culpable homicide of her husband, Bilyaminu Bello. Sanda, whose case drew widespread national attention as a high-profile domestic violence incident, had spent over six years and eight months at the Suleja Medium Security Custodial Centre. Her pardon was granted due to demonstrated good behavior, deep remorse, significant personal change, and pleas from her family highlighting her rehabilitation and the need to care for her two children. She is now expected to reunite with her children.

The pardon list also features several posthumous grants of mercy, rectifying historical injustices and restoring honor to figures who faced convictions under controversial circumstances. These include Sir Herbert Macaulay, a revered Nigerian nationalist convicted by colonial authorities in 1913; Major General Mamman Jiya Vatsa, a military officer executed in 1986 during a political crisis; and environmental activist and writer Ken Saro-Wiwa, along with the other eight Ogoni activists (the Ogoni Nine), executed in 1995. Other notable individuals pardoned include former lawmaker Farouk Lawan, convicted in 2021 for corrupt practices, and Professor Magaji Garba, who was convicted for obtaining money under false pretense.

The clemency initiative extended across various categories of offenders, including illegal miners, white-collar convicts, and remorseful drug offenders. The Presidency cited good conduct, remorse, old age, acquisition of vocational skills, or enrollment in the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) as key criteria for the pardons and commutations. In total, the committee recommended pardon for 2 inmates and 15 former convicts (11 deceased), clemency for 82 inmates, and commutation of sentences for 65 inmates. Additionally, seven inmates on death row had their sentences commuted to life imprisonment. Senator Ikra Aliyu Bilbis has taken responsibility for the rehabilitation and empowerment of the convicted illegal miners granted presidential clemency.

Beyond the justice system, national security remains a contentious topic. During a recent Senate plenary, President Godswill Akpabio cautioned against framing Nigeria's security crisis as a targeted conflict against Christians, asserting that terrorists and bandits attack citizens indiscriminately. This narrative sparked intense debate among lawmakers, reflecting ongoing discussions about the nature of the country's security challenges.

Developments concerning the Nigeria Police Force also made headlines. Retired police officers staged a protest at the National Assembly, demanding the payment of their outstanding pensions and gratuities. Concurrently, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed the Nigeria Police Training Institutions Establishment Bill into law, which mandates the creation of 48 new training institutions across the country, aiming to professionalize and upgrade the force significantly.

The academic sector also experienced unrest, with students from the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus (UNEC), Faculty of Health Sciences, protesting a compulsory N30,000 “development levy” that allegedly barred affected students from writing exams. This protest echoed the closure of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources (FUPRE) in Delta State, which shut down following student demonstrations against an alleged tuition fee hike.

In other significant news, President Tinubu paid tribute to the late elder statesman, Dr. Christopher Kolade, who passed away at 92, recognizing him as an intellectual treasure and a man of unimpeachable integrity. The National Council of State also unanimously approved the nomination of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) as the new INEC Chairman, pending final Senate screening. On a positive note, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu inaugurated a 420-unit housing estate in Badagry, allocating 20% of the units to public servants, including members of the Medical Guild and the Nigerian Union of Teachers, as a gesture of appreciation for their service. The governor was notably seen celebrating the inauguration by dancing and beating a traditional “sato” drum with local dancers.