Tinubu Grants Presidential Pardon To Ken Saro Wiwa, Eight Other Ogoni Activists Executed By Abacha Regime
Ken Saro Wiwa, Ogoni Activists Executed By Abacha Regime
During President Bola Tinubu’s address to a joint session of the National Assembly on Thursday, June 12, 2025, as part of events marking Nigeria’s Democracy Day.He granted a full posthumous presidential pardon to the late environmental activist, Ken Saro Wiwa, and eight other members of the Ogoni Nine, who were executed by the military regime of General Sani Abacha in 1995.
Describing the nine men as national heroes, Tinubu said the pardon was issued under the constitutional powers granted by the Prerogative of Mercy.
In addition to the pardon, the president also conferred national honours on the late activists.
Ken Saro Wiwa was posthumously awarded the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON), while the other eight, Saturday Dobee, Nordu Eawo, Daniel Gbooko, Paul Levera, Felix Nuate, Baribor Bera, Barinem Kiobel, and John Kpuine, each received the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON).
Tinubu declared:
“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).”
“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.”
The execution of the Ogoni Nine nearly three decades ago sparked outrage across the globe, drawing strong condemnation from civil society groups and the international community.
Their trial and conviction had been widely criticized as politically motivated and lacking in due process.
