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Tinubu excludes drug, human trafficking, kidnapping convicts as he reviews pardon list

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President Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate removal of all individuals convicted of serious crimes such as kidnapping, drug trafficking, human trafficking, fraud, and unlawful possession of firearms from the list of those granted presidential pardon under the federal government’s prerogative of mercy.

The decision followed consultations with the Council of State and consideration of public opinion, according to a statement on Wednesday, October 29, by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.

Onanuga said Tinubu directed a further review of the previously approved list of pardons, exercising his discretionary powers under Section 175(1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

“Certain persons convicted of serious crimes such as kidnapping, drug-related offences, human trafficking, fraud, unlawful possession of firearms and arms dealing were deleted from the list,” the statement read. “Others who had been pardoned in the old list had their sentences commuted.”

He explained that the review was necessary due to the seriousness and security implications of the offences involved, the need to respect the feelings of victims and society at large, and to uphold the morale of law enforcement agencies while honouring Nigeria’s bilateral obligations.

“The concept of justice as a three-way traffic, for the accused, the victim, and the state or society, also guided the review,” Onanuga added.

He said the final list of eligible beneficiaries had been transmitted to the Nigerian Correctional Service for implementation in line with the duly signed instruments of release.

Onanuga also noted that some convicts who were initially granted full pardons had their sentences reduced instead. In addition, Tinubu ordered the relocation of the Secretariat of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy from the Federal Ministry of Special Duties to the Federal Ministry of Justice.

The development follows public criticism of the presidential pardon announced on October 9, which granted clemency to 175 people, including nationalist Herbert Macaulay, former lawmaker Farouk Lawan, and Major General Mamman Vatsa, who was executed in 1986 over alleged treason.

The inclusion of individuals convicted of drug-related crimes and murder, such as Maryam Sanda, sentenced to death for killing her husband, sparked widespread outrage. In response, Attorney-General of the Federation Lateef Fagbemi had earlier promised that the list would undergo a thorough review, noting that the process involved multiple stages of verification.

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Names, profiles of 16 Nigerian military officers detained for alleged coup plot. . .

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13 minutes ago

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October 30, 2025

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Profiles of officers in detention over alleged coup plot

1.Brigadier General Musa Abubakar Sadiq
Born on 3 January 1974, Mr Sadiq is a brigadier general with service number N/10321, trained as an NDA cadet between 14 August 1992 and 20 September 1997. He is suspected to be the leader of the coup plot.
As a member of Regular Course 44, Mr Sadiq, an indigene of Nasarawa State, rose through the ranks, becoming a colonel in 2015 and a brigadier four years later. He belongs to the infantry corps.

This is not the first time Mr Sadiq has made headlines for alleged gross misconduct. In October 2024, he was reportedly detained for “alleged diversion of rice palliatives, selling of military equipment, including generator sets and operational vehicles to scrap yards.” Among other postings, the officer served as Commander of the 3rd Brigade in Kano and Garrison Commander of the 81 DivisionArmythe Army in Lagos.

2. Colonel M.A. Ma’aji
Mr Ma’aji is a colonel with service number N/10668. Born on 1st March 1976, the Nupe native from Niger State started training on 18 August 1995 and finished on 16 September 2000. Investigators suspect he played the role of a key strategist for the coup plot

A member of the infantry corps, Mr Ma’aji was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel in 2013, becoming a full colonel four years later. The 49-year-old officer was the Commanding Officer of the 19 Battalion of the Nigerian Army based in Okitipupa, Ondo State.
He took part in Operation Crocodile Smile II, a Nigerian Army military exercise conducted in 2017 to address security challenges in the Niger Delta and parts of the South-west. He also served at Depot, Nigerian Army and later as Commander, Operation Delta Safe.
He was a member of the 47 Regular Course of the NDA.

3. Lt. Colonel S. Bappah
Mr Bappah, a member of the Nigerian Army Signals Corps, with service number N/13036, is from Bauchi State in North-East Nigeria. He was born on 21 June 1984.
The 41-year-old officer started his cadet training on 27 September 2004 and completed it on 4 October 2008.
He is a member of the 56 Regular Course of the NDA

4. Lt Colonel A.A. Hayatu
Mr Hayatu, now a lieutenant colonel with service number N/13038, hails from Kaduna State.
Born on 13 August 1983, he underwent his cadet training between 27 September 2004 and 04 October 2008.

A member of the infantry corps, Mr Hayatu also belonged to the 56 Regular Course.

5. P. Dangnap
Mr Dangnap is from Plateau State. He was born on 1 April 1986. In 2015, he was court-martialed alongside 29 others for offences related to the fight against Boko Haram.
The 39-year-old officer, with service number N/13025 began his cadet training on 27 September 2004 and completed it on 4 October 2008.
An infantry corps officer, Mr Dangnap is also a member of the 56 Regular Course of the NDA.

6. Lt. Colonel M. Almakura
A member of the 56 Regular Course, Mr Al Makura, a lieutenant colonel from Nasarawa State, was born on 18 March 1983.
The infantry corps officer with service number N/12983 trained as a cadet at the NDA from 27 September 2004 to 4 October 2008.

7. Major A. J Ibrahim
Mr Ibrahim, a major with service number N/13065, hails from Gombe State.
Born on 12 June 1987, the Infantry Corps officer trained between 27 September 2004 and 4 October 2008.
He was a member of the 56 Regular Course, and he became a captain in 2013.

8. Major M.M. Jiddah
An indigene of Katsina State, Major Jiddah, was born on 9 July 1985.
He trained between 27 September 2004 and 4 October 2008.

Mr Jiddah is an infaArmy officer and a member of the 56 Regular Course.
His service number is N/13003.

9. Major M.A. Usman
Mr Usman is a Nigerian Army major with service number N/15404.

He was born on 1 April 1989. He hails from the Federal Capital Territory, in North-central Nigeria.
A member of the 60th Regular Course, the infantry officer trained as a cadet at the NDA between 16 August 2008 and 14 September 2012.

10. Major D. Yusuf
Mr Yusuf, a major with service number N/14753, is a member of the Ordnance Corps.
He was born on 26 May 1988. As a member of the 59th Regular Course, Mr Yusuf trained at NDA between 7 July 2007 and 8 September 2012.
The officer hails from Gombe State.

11. Major I. Dauda
Mr Dauda joined the army through the Direct Short Service Commissions.
Born on 26 November 1983, the infantry officer with service number N/13625, trained between 5 June 2009 and 27 March 2010.
Mr Dauda, who hails from Jigawa, is a member of Short Service Commission Course 38.

As of press time, details about the remaining five officers listed below are sketchy. They are also being detained for alleged involvement in the coup plot. Below is a little information about them:

12. Captain Ibrahim Bello
Mr Bello is a captain with service number N/16266. He was born on 28 July 1987. He is a member of the Direct Short Service Commission Course 43.

13. Captain A.A Yusuf
He is an army captain with service number N/16724.

14. Lieutenant S.S Felix
A lieutenant with service number N/18105.

15. Lieutenant Commander D. B. Abdullahi
He is a Nigerian Navy personnel with service number NN/3289.

16. Squandron Leader S. B Adamu
An Air Force squadron leader with service number NAF/3481.

Source: Premium Times 

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Israeli raid kills municipal worker in Lebanon

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8 hours ago

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October 30, 2025

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Israeli troops killed a Lebanese municipal worker on Thursday during a raid on a border village in the south, state media reported.

Despite a November 2024 ceasefire with the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, Israel maintains troops in five areas in southern Lebanon and has continued regular air strikes, which have recently intensified.

“In a grave and unprecedented attack, an Israeli enemy force penetrated the village of Blida at nearly 1:30 a.m. (1130 GMT), more than one kilometre (0.6 miles) from the border, supported by a number of vehicles,” Lebanon’s official National News Agency (NNA) reported.

“The force stormed the Blida municipality building, where employee Ibrahim Salameh was sleeping, and enemy soldiers proceeded to kill him,” it added.

Village residents cited by the NNA said the raid lasted several hours, and that Israeli forces withdrew at dawn.

In the nearby border village of Adaisseh, the NNA reported that Israeli forces blew up a hall used for religious ceremonies at dawn.

In recent days, Israel has stepped up its strikes on Lebanon, often claiming to target Hezbollah positions.

On Tuesday, the spokesman for the UN rights commission, Jeremy Laurence, said Israeli forces had killed 111 civilians in Lebanon since the ceasefire took effect.

Hezbollah was badly weakened during more than a year of conflict with Israel, and the United States has intensified pressure on Lebanese authorities to disarm the Iran-backed group.

On Wednesday, during a meeting of ceasefire monitors in the Lebanese border city of Naqoura, US envoy Morgan Ortagus said Washington welcomed the “decision to bring all weapons under state control by the end of the year.”

“The Lebanese army must now fully implement its plan,” she added.

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Fire guts store at Abuja mall

Published

8 hours ago

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October 30, 2025

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A fire incident occurred at the Jabi Lake Mall, Abuja in the early hours of Thursday.

The cause of the fire, which started around 3am, could not be ascertained as of the time of filing this report.

Our correspondent gathered that only the Adidas Sports shop was affected.

It was further gathered that firefighters from the Federal Fire Service, the Berger Fire Department, and the FCT Fire Service, as well as police officers, were deployed to the scene.

A resident of Jabi, Saliu, who informed our correspondent of the incident, said the fire had been contained.

He said, “Around 3am., this morning, there was a fire incident at the Jabi Lake Mall in Abuja. No loss of life or injury was recorded. Only the Adidas Sports shop was affected by the fire.”

The FCT police spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, confirmed the incident to our correspondent.

Adeh said police officers were deployed to the location to secure the area and prevent looting.

“We received a distress call at about 3:40 a.m. We immediately deployed our men there to secure the place and prevent any breach of public order,” she said.

PUNCH Online earlier reported the fire incident that rocked the Old Karu market in the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja.

The fire, which destroyed goods worth millions of naira, was put to an end by officials of the Federal Capital Territory Fire Service, Federal Fire Service and Julius Berger Fire Service.

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