The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has ordered a multi-agency review of the proposed presidential pardon list.
According to Punch, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and the police are the agencies involved in the review.
The exercise may result in more than half of the nominees being dropped.
President Bola Tinubu is said to be awaiting the submission of the vetted list for his final endorsement, amid efforts to ensure only eligible beneficiaries are cleared.
The President had, in the exercise of his constitutional powers, granted clemency to 175 persons convicted of various offences.
However, the inclusion of some names on the list sparked controversy, as security, law enforcement, and anti-graft agencies opposed the presence of certain high-profile offenders.
The EFCC, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), NDLEA, police, among others, reportedly moved to halt the release of some individuals on the list.
Some officials alleged that some low-level officers on the committee ‘smuggled in’ names not originally recommended for clemency.
“Some low-level officers at the level of the committee smuggled in some names. Obviously, the President is unaware of some of the names on that list.
“They have now sent the list to NDLEA and other security agencies for review. Some of the names on the list did not meet the criteria. Some low-level officers bypassed the criteria.
“In fact, some of the cases are still fresh. The good thing is that they are still in custody; they have not been released,” an official of one of the security agencies told the aforementioned publication.
Multiple top Federal Government officials with direct knowledge of the matter confirmed that the list, currently undergoing a rigorous screening process, had been sent to the EFCC, ICPC, NDLEA, and police, among other agencies, for comprehensive background checks by the office of the Attorney General.
A top official in the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation said that the process was deliberately designed to prevent a repeat of past controversies surrounding questionable pardons.
“The review is still ongoing. The Office of the Attorney General has circulated the list to all relevant agencies for proper vetting,” the senior official said.
He stressed that the move was in line with President Bola Tinubu’s directive to ensure due diligence and transparency.
An official in the Presidency with knowledge of the matter also revealed that the outcome of the reviews could lead to the removal of a large number of nominees from the list.
“From what I’ve seen, more than half of the names are likely to be dropped once the agencies complete their findings. The government doesn’t want anyone with unresolved corruption or criminal cases to benefit from the process,” the source said.
Similarly, a senior Federal Government official hinted that the NDLEA, EFCC, and ICPC had already begun submitting preliminary observations about certain names on the list, some of whom were reportedly under active investigation.
“The list is now being reviewed by the agencies. Each one is cross-checking the background of the nominees. It’s a standard integrity test before the final list is forwarded to the President for approval,”the official stated.
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