President Tinubu grants posthumous pardon to Ken Saro-Wiwa, Ogoni Nine

In a historic and emotional move, President Bola Tinubu has granted a full presidential pardon to Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight others from the group known as the Ogoni Nine—nearly three decades after their execution shook the nation and the world.

The announcement came during President Tinubu’s Democracy Day address to a joint session of the National Assembly on Thursday. Invoking his constitutional powers under the Prerogative of Mercy, Tinubu declared the late activists “national heroes,” acknowledging their sacrifice and struggle for environmental justice and human rights.

Ken Saro-Wiwa, a celebrated writer and environmentalist, led a peaceful movement against environmental degradation in Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger Delta—particularly in Ogoniland, where oil spills and gas flaring had devastated the local ecosystem. In 1995, he and eight fellow activists were controversially executed by the military regime of General Sani Abacha after a trial widely condemned by international observers as unjust.

“These men stood for justice, for the environment, and for the rights of the oppressed,” Tinubu said. “It is only fitting that we restore their dignity and recognise their sacrifices for a better Nigeria.”

Beyond the presidential pardon, President Tinubu also conferred posthumous national honours on the environmental activists. Ken Saro-Wiwa was awarded the prestigious Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON), while the remaining eight members of the Ogoni Nine received the title of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON).

“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.