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OPINION: My Magun Experience

Published

3 years ago

January 10, 2023

Editor

By Suyi Ayodele

There was a funeral ceremony in the neighbourhood. Guests came from Lagos and other big cities. One of the guests, a randy fellow, saw a woman and approached her for a relationship. While the party was underway, the two sneaked into a room for a quickie. Done, the man got ready to dress up. Then he gave a shrill cry and landed on the floor with a thud. Thankfully enough, the woman had traditional sense enough to know that something was wrong, and she buried her shame. She shouted for help. Neighbours rushed in and pinned down the Lagos boy. Hefty young men were called in to hold him, and a relation of ours, who knew that an antidote of magun existed in the family ‘pharmacy’, rushed in to ask for the potion. That saved the life of the fun seeker. And what happened to the woman thereafter? She did not wait for the day to break before she left town. The last time we had a discussion around her, nobody knew her whereabouts till date. But she saved a life before disappearing. So, is Magun real?

There is this joke about the efficacy of Magun, the Yoruba answer to insults of adultery and fornication. A white man was said to have engaged his Nigerian friends in an argument about whether magun exists and if it does, its efficacy or otherwise. The Nigerians, obviously Yoruba, tried in vain to convince the white man to no avail. Then they decided to be practical about it. The guys arranged a lady and laced her with magun and then pimped her on the white man. Now, the type of magun the lady was laced with is the type that will become active whenever the victim eats the forbidden food item used in preparing the substance. On a particular day, the Nigerians gave a cob of maize to their Oyinbo friend and after eating it, they brought up the topic of magun again. The Oyinbo man responded by telling his friends: “I don’t believe in magun, but I feel like tumbling”. And he somersaulted. Again, they asked him if he believed in magun and when he responded in the negative, he tumbled again. The Nigerians held the White man and gave him a potion to drink. It was then the White man calmed down and the tumbling stopped. May I therefore ask you readers: Do you believe in magun?

Sade Oguntola is the Health Editor of the Nigerian Tribune. On Saturday, January 7, 2023, she did a comprehensive report on Magun. She titled her piece: “Sex romp: Is it magun or a case of heart attack?”. Interesting piece. Oguntola’s material is her reaction to the Monday, January 2, 2023, incident in Ikere Ekiti. That day, as reported by virtually all the dailies, a ‘native doctor’, Fadayomi Kehinde, popularly known as Ejiogbe, died in a hotel in Ikere-Ekiti during a sex romp with the wife of a pastor. Interesting times, we are! Reports claimed that Ejiogbe died of the Yoruba metaphysics known as Magun. Magun literally means Don’t Climb. An Aje-butter (Butter boy) once asked elders that if Magun means don’t climb, will it still work if it is the woman who does the climbing. The reply he got was that he did not know Oogun (medicine) that was why he called it efo (vegetable). Modern languages have interpreted or translated Magun to mean Thunderbolt. I love the interpretation. Thunderbolt kills instantly. So does Magun. Now, Oguntola, as a “Health” writer, tries, in her piece named above, to determine if indeed Ejiogbe died of Magun, or he just suffered normal health hazards during the sex romp with his lover. The question we may want to ask again is: does Magun exist? I will answer that presently. But before I do that, I like to look at some interesting things about Ejiogbe and his lover cum wife of another man.

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The African Traditional Religion (ATR) is a very rich mission. There are dos and don’ts in the religion. One of the cautions embedded in ATR is prophylactic sex. A diviner or herbalist is not expected to have indiscriminate sex. The victim of the Ikere-Ekiti sex romp is referred to as a “native doctor”. The Yoruba equivalent of that is “Onisegun”. Oniseguns are esoteric people. For you to be able to understand the ways of roots and herbs, you must literally talking, belong. That is, you must be an initiate otherwise, nothing will work. The Yoruba worldview makes a distinction among Babalawo (diviner), Onisegun (herbalist) and Adahunse (sorcerer). However, most herbalists are confused as Babalawo. While it is true that most Babalawos can pass for Oniseguns, or Adahunses, not every herbalist or sorcerer can be a diviner (Babalawo). Fadayomi, the sex romp victim of Ekiti has an appellation, Ejiogbe. That is purely a traditional name. Ejiogbe, in ATR, is the father of all divinations. Hence the saying: “Ejiogbe, Baba Ifa. One is therefore tempted to believe that the late Ejiogbe must be versed in Ifa divination for him to have earned the appellation. If that should be the case, common sense would have told him that it is forbidden for a Babalawo to have sexual intercourse with another man’s wife. It is an eewo (abomination). Same way the masquerade does not beat a Babalawo (Eegun o gbudo na Babalawo), so also are the initiates forbidden from sleeping with the wife of another man. Morality rules the esoteric! So, what went wrong? Ejiogbe’s sex partner is said to be the wife of a pastor. How come that chicken eats another chicken’s entrails?

Information about the incident is that Ejiogbe died of Magun. A source claimed that the deceased laced the pastor’s wife with the magun substance so that the husband would have contracted it and died. I questioned that line of argument. My doubt is: when Ejiogbe did not hear about the demise of the pastor, why did he go into the hotel with the woman? Someone I had the discussion with said Ejiogbe could have trusted in the efficacy of his magun antidote. I was speechless. My interlocutor referred me to an incident that happened years back in a neighbouring town. It was early morning when we heard the alarm. A woman had died suddenly. We later got to know that while the woman’s husband suspected that she was promiscuous, he decided to lace her with magun. Expectedly, the illicit lover came around early in the morning for a sex romp. But he was a strong man. He smelled the magun in the woman and decided to “push” it up. Unfortunately, after the rounds, he forgot to “push down” the magun. The woman got suffocated by the magun and she died.

That brings us back to the question: does Magun exist? I answer with a capital YES! When the news of the Ikere-Ekiti sex mishap broke, my mind raced back to my early childhood experiences with magun victims. Some were saved and some ended their lives before help could come their way. A friend told me about a man who died of Magun. The victim was said to have rushed out of his house shouting the name of his friend. While running towards his friend’s house he kept on saying: “I don’t know who I offended”. At the doorstep of his friend’s house, the victim collapsed, foamed in the mouth, and died. Questions were asked. It was discovered that the victim’s wife had visited him from where she lived. When confronted, the woman confirmed that her husband jumped off the bed after having conjugal benevolence with her and started running. It was later discovered that the wife in question had two concubines in the village. One of the concubines was the one, who laced the woman with Magun in order to eliminate the other illicit lover. Unfortunately, it was the husband who contracted the substance. How wise are our elders when they intone: “Iyawo to ba nda ale, bi o ba pa ara e, yio pa oko – if a promiscuous wife does not kill herself, she will kill her husband.

At a time, magun victims became commonplace in my area. A particular case was what jolted the entire community to act. There was a particular young boy, whose parents were strangers in our place. The young man was dating another equally young girl. The mother of the girl disapproved of the relationship. She went to the home of the young man to warn his parents. The old woman was specific. “Tell your son to desist from dating my daughter. If he refuses, he will see maggots inside salt” (o ma kan idin ninu iyo). Three days later, the young man died after a sexual intercourse with the young lady. The news of the boy’s death shattered the community. The owners of the land met, and a curse was placed on whoever would use magun on spinsters in the town. Those who doubt the existence of magun should go to the hinterlands to go and hear stories. Africans have a way of instilling discipline in roughnecks. One of such is magun. But the danger in magun is that it can be abused, like the case of the young boy mentioned above. There are lots of misconceptions about the metaphysics.

One of such misconceptions is to think that magun can only be contracted through sex. No! Magun’s efficacy goes beyond sexual intercourse. There is a traditional name I know. It is called “Ofinaboorun”. The simple interpretation is, he who laces (crosses) the road like soldier ants. The name was given after a communal war, during which, without firing a single gunshot, a man killed 36 enemy soldiers. All he did was to lace the soldier ants on the path the enemies took with magun. All those who crossed the soldier ants died metres away from the soldier ants. That ended the internecine war of that era between the two communities. And magun has varieties; if you like, siblings.

One and the mildest of the varieties is called tesho. In those days, whenever parents of young girls wanted to prevent unwanted pregnancies, they laced their daughters with the substance. What tesho simply does is that whenever the so laced lady wants to have sextual intercourse, the phallus of the man involved becomes weak. Next to tesho is “Alemaro” (permanent turgidity), which causes the male partner to have permanent erection after a sexual intercourse with a woman afflicted with the substance. Next of the varieties is “Atogbe”, which brings instant impotence to the male who contracted the substance from a woman laced with it. The last is magun itself, which in most cases, brings instant death or programmed death depending on the type the woman is laced with. Incidentally, while Yoruba cosmology states that there are two hundred and one types of magun, there is only one antidote for them all.

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Years back, a renowned diviner had a knotty issue and he brought it to my late father, Baba Falade (actually,an uncle but our culture does not factor uncleship into our family relationship). Baba Falade was able to resolve the issue, himself being one of the Babalawo Orunmila of his era. In appreciation of how Baba helped him, the diviner told our father that he observed that he (Baba) had many male children and so would want to assist the children with magun antidote rings. Baba Falade would not have any of that. And he told the visiting diviner so. To ensure that nothing of the sort happened, Baba had to see off the visiting diviner far from his homestead. Out of curiosity, in one of our discussions, I asked baba why he would not allow his friend to give the antidote ring to, at least, my older cousins. His answer rings a bell till date: “Once a child knows the antidote to a poison, he becomes hungry for the poison. Whereas, the day the antidote will fail, the child will not know”.

So, when Oguntola spoke to cardiologists who projected that the Ikere-Ekiti sex romp victim could have died as a result of “sex-related cardiac attack or stroke”, which, for instance, Dr. Adebowale Adewunmi of LUTH said occurs when “the heart was only looking for an excuse to fail”, I laughed. I don’t doubt stroke and heart attacks. But there is circumstantial evidence that will tell a victim of magun from that of “cardiac arrest”. In any case, how will magun become effective if it does not cause a seizure of the heart? Thankfully enough, Oguntola, in her piece, provided an answer thus: “The 2017 study published in the journal of the American College of Cardiology found that among these cases (sex-related deaths), less than one percent of cardiac arrests occurred during or within one hour of sexual intercourse”.

What then kills men, suddenly, during sex? I think this is a poser for researchers in African traditions to explore. The issue about magun is that not every woman laced with the substance is essentially promiscuous. We have instances of wickedness too, where innocent women are laced with magun by some debased minds to shame the female victims or to get rid of an ‘enemy”. We are in the end time. We may have to look at some of the encumbrances placed on our ways by modern science. May we get to a stage again, where every man who has the urge and the capacity, will take in more women as wives!

Suyi Ayodele is a senior journalist South-South/South-East Editor, Nigerian Tribune and a columnist in the same newspaper.

News

FULL LIST: 175 Beneficiaries Of Tinubu’s Pardons

Published

3 hours ago

October 11, 2025

Editor

President Bola Tinubu has granted presidential pardon and clemency to 175 persons, including late environmental activist Ken Saro-Wiwa, nationalist Herbert Macaulay, Major General Mamman Vatsa, and Maryam Sanda, who was sentenced to death for killing her husband.

According to a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Saturday, the decision followed recommendations by the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, chaired by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).

The list, released on Saturday, is divided into six parts: pardoned, posthumous pardon (including the Ogoni Nine), victims of the Ogoni Nine honoured, presidential clemency (clemency beneficiaries), list of inmates recommended for reduced term of imprisonment, and list of inmates on death row reduced to life imprisonment.

Below is the full list of beneficiaries as contained in the statement:

Pardoned

Nweke Francis Chibueze, aged 44, serving a life sentence at Kirikiri for cocaine

Dr Nwogu Peters, aged 67; serving a 17-year jail term for fraud. Sentenced in 2013

Mrs Anastasia Daniel Nwaoba, aged 63. Already served a sentence for fraud

Barr. Hussaini Alhaji Umar, aged 58. Sentenced in 2023 to pay a fine of N150M in the ICPC case

Ayinla Saadu Alanamu, age 63, was sentenced to seven years for bribery in 2019 and has served the sentence

Hon. Farouk M. Lawan, aged 62. Sentenced to five years in 2021 for Corrupt Practices and had served the sentence

Posthumous pardon

Sir Herbert Macaulay — banned from public office for misappropriation of funds and sentenced in 1913 by the British colonialists

Major-General Mamman Jiya Vatsa, age 46 — sentenced in 1986 for treason (alleged coup plot)

Posthumous pardon: The Ogoni nine
Ken Saro Wiwa — sentenced for murder
Saturday Dobee — sentenced for murder
Nordu Eawa — sentenced for murder
Daniel Gbooko — sentenced for murder
Paul Levera — sentenced for murder
Felix Nuate — sentenced for murder
Baribor Bera — sentenced for murder
Barinem Kiobel — sentenced for murder
John Kpuine — sentenced for murder
Victims of Ogoni Nine honoured
Chief Albert Badey
Chief Edward Kobaru
Chief Samuel Orage
Chief Theophilus Orage
Presidential clemency
Aluagwu Lawrence, aged 47, sentenced for Indian hemp (selling), 2015
Ben Friday, aged 60, was sentenced to 3 years or N1.3 million fine for marijuana in 2023
Oroke Micheal Chibueze, aged 21, sentenced to 5 years (cannabis sativa) in 2023
Kelvin Christopher Smith, aged 42, was sentenced to 4 years for importing cocaine in 2023
Azubuike Jeremiah Emeka, aged 31, sentenced in 2021 to 5 years or N3 million fine for importing cocaine
Akinrinnade Akinwande Adebiyi, aged 47, sentenced in 2023 to 3 years for dealing in Tramadol
Ahmed Adeyemo, aged 38, sentenced to 15 years for cannabis. Already served nine years, 5 months at Kirikiri
Adeniyi Jimoh, aged 31 years, sentenced to 15 years for Drugs in 2015 and served nine years at Kirikiri
Seun Omirinde, aged 39, sentenced to 15 years for Drugs in 2015. Served nine years at Kirikiri
Adesanya Olufemi Paul, aged 61, sentenced to 14 years for theft. Had served eight years
Ife Yusuf, aged 37, was sentenced for human trafficking in 2019. Had served six years at Kirikiri
Daniel Bodunwa, aged 43, was sentenced in 2018 to 10 years for fraudulent intent to forge a land receipt. Had served six years in jail
Fidelis Michael, aged 40, sentenced to 5 years for cannabis sativa
Suru Akande, aged 52, sentenced to 5 years for cannabis sativa
Safiyanu Umar, aged 56, sentenced to 5 years without the option of a fine for possessing 5 kg of cannabis sativa, 2023
Dahiru Abdullahi, aged 46, was sentenced in 2016 to 21 years for possession of 3 pistols and had spent 10 years in jail
Hamza Abubakar, aged 37, sentenced to 5 years for Indian hemp (selling), 2022
Rabiu Alhassan Dawaki, aged 52, sentenced in 2020 to 7 years for criminal breach of trust
Mujibu Muhammad, aged 30, sentenced in 2022 to 5 years, no option for a fine for cannabis
Emmanuel Eze, aged 49, sentenced in 2022 to 5 years for heroin
Bala Azika Yahaya, aged 70, sentenced in 2017 to 15 years for cannabis
Lina Kusum Wilson, aged 34, sentenced to death in 2017 for culpable homicide, had spent eight years in jail
Buhari Sani, aged 33, sentenced in 2022 to 5 years for possession of 558 grams of cannabis
Mohammed Musa, aged 27, was sentenced in 2022 to 5 years for possession of 16 grams of cannabis
Muharazu Abubakar, aged 37, sentenced in 2022 to 5 years for selling Indian hemp. Already spent 3 years in Katsina Prison
Ibrahim Yusuf, aged 34; jailed 5 years in 2022 for possession of 5.7 grams of Indian hemp
Saad Ahmed Madaki, aged 72; sentenced in 2020 for a 419 offence. Had served 4 years in Kaduna prison
Ex-Corporal Michael Bawa, aged 72: sentenced to life imprisonment for murder in 2005. Had spent 20 years in Kaduna prison
Richard Ayuba, aged 38. Sentenced to 5 years in 2022 for Indian hemp
Adam Abubakar, aged 30 and sentenced in 2022 to five years for possession of 2 kg of tramadol
Emmanuel Yusuf, aged 34; sentenced in 2022 to 4 years for possession of 2 kg of tramadol
Edwin Nnazor, aged 60; sentenced in 2018 to 15 years for cannabis. Had spent 6 years, nine months at Zamfara prison
Chinedu Stanley, aged 34. Sentenced in 2023 to three years for fake lubricant oil
Joseph Nwanoka, aged 42: sentenced in 2022 to five years for drugs
Johnny Ntheru, aged 63, sentenced in 1989 to life imprisonment for robbery. Had spent 36 years in Umuahia Prison
John Omotiye, aged 28, sentenced to six years for pipeline vandalism
Nsikat Edet Harry, aged 37, sentenced in 2023 to 5 years for illegal possession of Indian hemp, cocaine & heroin
Jonathan Asuquo, aged 28, sentenced in 2022 to 5 years for possession of Indian hemp & other drugs
Prince Samuel Peters, aged 54, sentenced in 2020 to 7 years for obtaining money by false pretence. Had spent 4 years, 3 months in Ikot Ekpene Prison
Babangida Saliu, aged 35, sentenced in 2024 to 3 years for unlawful mining
Adamu Sanni, aged 39, sentenced in 2024 to 3 years for unlawful mining
Abdulkarem Salisu, aged 30, sentenced to 3 years for unlawful mining
Abdulaziz Lawal, aged 18, sentenced to 3 years for unlawful mining
Abdulrahman Babangida, aged 20, sentenced to 3 years for unlawful mining
Maharazu Alidu, aged 22, sentenced to 3 years for unlawful mining
Zaharadeen Baliue, aged 38, sentenced to 3 years for unlawful mining
Babangida Usman, aged 30, sentenced to 3 years for unlawful mining
Zayyanu Abdullahi, aged 28, sentenced to 3 years for unlawful mining, 2024
Bashir Garuba, aged 20, sentenced in 2024 to 3 years for unlawful mining
Imam Suleman, aged 25, sentenced to 3 years for unlawful mining, 2024
Abbeh Amisu, aged 28, sentenced to 3 years for unlawful mining, 2024
Lawani Lurwanu, aged 20, sentenced to 3 years for unlawful mining, 2024
Yusuf Alhassan, aged 33, was sentenced to 3 years for unlawful mining in 2024
Abdulahi Isah, aged 25, sentenced to 3 years for unlawful mining, 2024
Zayanu Bello, aged 35, sentenced to 3 years for unlawful mining
Habeeb Suleman, aged 22, sentenced in 2024 to 3 years for unlawful mining
Jubrin Sahabi, aged 23, was sentenced to 3 years in 2024 for unlawful mining
Shefiu Umar, aged 28, was sentenced to 3 years in 2024 for unlawful mining
Seidu Abubakar, age 29, sentenced in 2024 to 3 years for unlawful mining

Haruna Abubakar, aged 24, was sentenced to 3 years in 2024 for unlawful mining
Rabiu Seidu, aged 26, sentenced in 2024 to 3 years for unlawful mining
Macha Kuru, aged 25, sentenced in 2024 to 3 years for unlawful mining
Zahradeen Aminu, aged 25 years, sentenced to 3 years for unlawful mining
Nazipi Musa, aged 25. Sentenced to 3 years for unlawful mining in 2024
Abdullahi Musa, aged 30 and sentenced to 3 years in 2024 for unlawful mining
Habibu Safiu, aged 20 and sentenced to 3 years in 2024 for unlawful mining
Husseni Sani, aged 21 and sentenced to 3 years in 2024 for unlawful mining
Musa Lawali, aged 25 and sentenced to 3 years in 2024 for unlawful mining
Suleiman Lawal, aged 23 and sentenced to 3 years in 2024 for unlawful mining
Yusuf Iliyasu, aged 21 and sentenced to 3 years in 2024 for unlawful mining
Sebiyu Aliyu, aged 20 and sentenced to 3 years in 2024 for unlawful mining
Halliru Sani, aged 18 and sentenced to 3 years in 2024 for unlawful mining
Shittu Aliyu, aged 30 and sentenced to 3 years in 2024 for unlawful mining
Sanusi Aminu, aged 27 and sentenced to 3 years in 2024 for unlawful mining
Isiaka Adamu, aged 40 and sentenced to 3 years in 2024 for unlawful mining
Mamman Ibrahim, aged 50 and sentenced to 3 years in 2024 for unlawful mining
Shuaibu Abdullahi, aged 35 and sentenced to 3 years in 2024 for unlawful mining
Sanusi Adamu, aged 28 and sentenced to 3 years in 2024 for unlawful mining
Sadi Musa, aged 20 and sentenced to 3 years in 2024 for unlawful mining
Haruna Isah, aged 35 and sentenced to 3 years in 2024 for unlawful mining
Abiodun Elemero, aged 43. Sentenced to life imprisonment for cocaine hawking in 2014. Had spent 10 years plus in Kirikiri
Maryam Sanda, aged 37, was sentenced to death in 2020 for culpable homicide and had spent six years, eight months at Suleja Medium Security Custodial Centre
List of inmates recommended for reduced term of imprisonment
Yusuf Owolabi, aged 36. Sentenced to life in 2015 for manslaughter. Had spent 10 years at Kirikiri. Prison term reduced to 12 years
Ifeanyi Eze, aged 33. Sentenced to life in 2021 for manslaughter and had spent four years at Kirikiri. Prison term reduced to 12 years
Malam Ibrahim Sulaiman, aged 59. Sentenced to life in 2022 for armed robbery & possession of illegal firearms. Sentence cut to 10 years
Shettima Maaji Arfo, aged 54. Sentenced in 2021 to seven years for corrupt practices. Sentence reduced to four years, because of good conduct and ill-health
Ajasper Benzeger, aged 69 and sentenced in 2015 to 20 years for culpable homicide. Sentence reduced to 12 years, based on old age and ill-health
Ifenna Kennechukwu, aged 42. Sentenced in 2015 to 20 years for drugs (cocaine import) and had spent close to 10 years in Kirikiri. Prison term reduced to 12 years
Mgbeike Matthew, aged 45. Sentenced to 20 years in 2013 for the import of 3.10 kg. Following remorsefulness and the acquisition of vocational skills at Kirikiri. Sentence reduced to 12 years
Patrick Mensah, aged 40. Sentenced in 2015 to 17 years for drugs. Sentence reduced to 11 years
Obi Edwin Chukwu, aged 43 and sentenced in 2017 to 15 years for drugs. Sentence reduced to 10 years
Tunde Balogun, aged 32 and sentenced in 2015 to 15 years for drugs. Sentence reduced to 10 years
Lima Pereira Erick Diego, aged 27 and sentenced in 2017 to 15 years or a fine of N20 million for drugs. Sentence reduced to 10 years
Uchegbu Emeka Michael, aged 37. Sentenced in 2017 to 15 years or a fine of N20 million for drugs. Sentence reduced to 10 years
Salawu Adebayo Samsudeen, aged 46 and sentenced in 2016 to 15 years for drugs. Sentence reduced to 10 years
Napolo Osariemen, aged 61 and sentenced in 2022 to 15 years for 2 kilos of Indian hemp. The sentence was reduced to seven years
Patricia Echoe Igninovia, aged 61 and sentenced in 2023 to seven years for trafficking in persons. Sentence reduced to five years
Odeyemi Omolaram, aged 65 and sentenced in 2017 to 25 years in prison for drugs. Sentence reduced to 12 years based on the defendant’s remorsefulness and advanced age
Vera Daniel Ifork, aged 29 and sentenced in 2020 to 10 years for trafficking in persons. Sentence reduced to eight years
Gabriel Juliet Chidimma, aged 32 and sentenced in 2022 to six years for drug (cocaine). Sentence reduced to four years
Dias Santos Marcia Christiana, aged 44 and sentenced in 2017 to 15 years for import of cocaine. Sentence reduced to 10 years
Alh. Ibrahim Hameed, aged 71 and sentenced in 2023 to seven years for illegal property (obtaining property under false pretence). Sentence reduced to five years
Alh. Nasiru Ogara Adinoyi, 65, was sentenced in 2023 to 14 years for obtaining property by false pretence. Sentence reduced to seven years

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Chief Emeka Agbodike, aged 69, was sentenced in 2023 to seven years for obtaining property by false pretence. Sentence reduced to 3 years
Isaac Justina, aged 40. Sentenced in 2022 to 10 years for cannabis sativa and had spent 3 years in the Abeokuta Custodial Centre. Sentence reduced to four years
Aishat Kehinde, aged 38 and sentenced in 2022 to five years for unlawful possession of cannabis. The prison term being served in Abeokuta has been reduced to four years
Helen Solomon, age 68. Sentenced in 2024 to five years for cannabis sativa. Sentence reduced to three years
Okoye Tochukwu, aged 43 and sentenced in 2024 to six years for cannabis sativa. Sentence reduced to 3 years
Ugwueze Paul, aged 38 and sentenced in 2024 to six years for cannabis sativa. Sentence reduced to three years
Mutsapha Ahmed, aged 46 and sentenced in 2022 to seven years without a fine option for criminal breach of trust. The sentence was reduced to five years
Abubakar Mamman, aged 38 and sentenced in 2020 to 10 years in Kebbi Custodial Centre for possession of firearms. Sentence reduced to seven years
Muhammed Bello Musa, aged 35. Sentenced in 2020 to 10 years in Kebbi Custodial Centre for illegal possession of firearms. Sentence reduced to seven years
Nnamdi Anene, aged 67 and sentenced in 2010 to life imprisonment at Katsina Custodial Centre for illegal dealing of arms. Sentence reduced to 20 years
Alh. Abubakar Tanko, aged 61, was sentenced in 2018 to 30 years at the Gusau Custodial Centre for culpable homicide. Sentence reduced to 20 years
Chisom Francis Wisdom, aged 30; sentenced in 2018 to 20 years in Umuahia Custodial Centre for kidnapping. Sentence reduced to 12 years
Innocent Brown Idiong, aged 60, sentenced in 2020 to 10 years for possession of 700 grams of Indian hemp. Has already spent 4 years and 3 months at Ikot Abasi Custodial Centre. Jail term reduced to six years
Iniobong Imaeyen Ntukidem, aged 46, was sentenced 2021 to seven years in jail at the Uyo Custodial Centre. Prison term reduced to five years
Ada Audu, aged 72, was sentenced in 2022 to seven years in Kuje Custodial Centre and had spent 2 years and 7 months in prison. Prison term reduced to 4 years because of old age
Bukar Adamu, aged 40 and sentenced to 20 years in 2019 for advance fee fraud. Prison term reduced to nine years
Kelvin Oniarah Ezigbe, 44, was sentenced in October 2023 to 20 years for kidnapping, which took effect in 2013. The sentence was reduced to 13 years
Frank Azuekor, aged 42. Sentenced in 2023 for kidnapping and jailed in Kuje Custodial Centre for 20 years, and had spent 12 years behind bars from 2013. The sentence was reduced to 13 years
Chukwukelu Sunday Calisthus, aged 47 and sentenced in 2014 to life at Kuje Custodial Centre for drugs. He had spent 11 years at Kuje. Sentence reduced to 13 years
Professor Magaji Garba, aged 67. Sentenced in 2021 to seven years for obtaining money by false pretence and had spent 3 years at Kuje Custodial Centre. The prison term was reduced to four years due to good conduct and advanced age
Markus Yusuf, aged 41. Sentenced in 2023 to 13 years for culpable homicide. Sentence reduced to 5 years based on ill-health
Samson Ajayi, aged 31 and sentenced in 2022 to 15 years for drugs. He had spent five years at Suleja Custodial Centre. The sentence was reduced to seven years
Iyabo Binyoyo, aged 49. Sentenced in 2017 to 10 years for drugs and sentenced to nine years at Suleja Custodial Centre, due to good conduct
Oladele Felix, 49, was sentenced in 2022 to five years without a fine option for conspiracy and exploitation. Based on good conduct and remorsefulness, the sentence was reduced to four years. Felix is serving the term at Suleja
Rakiya Beida, aged 33 and sentenced in 2021 to seven years, without a fine option, for theft and cheating. The sentence, being served at Suleja, was reduced to three years based on good conduct
Nriagu Augustine Ifeanyi, aged 44 and sentenced in 2018 to 10 years in Ikoyi Custodial Centre, for exporting cocaine. The sentence was reduced to eight years
Chukwudi Destiny, aged 36 and sentenced in 2022 to six years in Ikoyi Custodial Centre for heroin import. The sentence was cut to four years
Felix Rotimi Esemokhai, aged 47 and sentenced in 2022 to five years for heroin. The sentence was reduced to four years
Major S.A. Akubo, aged 62, was sentenced in 2009 to life at Katsina Custodial Centre for illegally removing 7,000 assorted weapons. Following good conduct and remorsefulness, the sentence was commuted to 20 years
John Ibiam, aged 39, was sentenced in 2016 to 15 years for manslaughter and served 9 years and one month in the Afikpo Custodial Centre. The sentence was reduced to 10 years after the individual showed remorse and acquired vocational skills
Omoka Aja, aged 40 and sentenced in 2016 to 15 years for manslaughter, served 9 years and 1 month in Afikpo Custodial Centre. The sentence was commuted to 10 years
Chief Jonathan Alatoru, aged 66, was sentenced in 2021 to seven years for conspiracy to cheat. The sentence served in Port Harcourt Custodial Centre has been reduced to five years
Umanah Ekaette Umanah, aged 70 and sentenced in 2022 to 10 years in Port Harcourt Custodial Centre for forgery. Sentence reduced to five years due to old age and remorsefulness
Utom Obong Thomson Udoaka, 60, was sentenced in 2020 to seven years in Ikot Ekpene Custodial Centre for obtaining money by false pretence. He had served four years and two months at Ikot Ekpene. Due to his old age and good conduct, the initial sentence has been reduced to five years
Jude Saka Ebaragha, aged 44. Sentenced in 2020 to 12 years at Ikoyi Prison and a fine of N1 million for conspiracy to hijack a fishing vessel. The sentence was commuted to six years, and the N1m fine was waived
Frank Insort Abaka, 46, was sentenced in 2020 to 12 years and a N1M fine at Ikoyi Custodial Centre for conspiracy to hijack a fishing vessel. The sentence was reduced to six years, and the fine was waived
Shina Alolo, 42, was sentenced in 2020 to 12 years and a N1M fine at Ikoyi Custodial Centre for conspiracy to hijack a fishing vessel. Like others, the N1m fine was waived, and the sentence was reduced to 6 years
Joshua Iwiki, aged 50: Sentenced in 2020 to 12 years at Ikoyi Prison and a fine of N1M for conspiracy to hijack a fishing vessel. The N1m fine was waived, and the sentence was commuted to six years in prison
David Akinseye, aged 44: Sentenced in 2020 to 12 years & N1M fine for conspiracy to hijack a fishing vessel. His sentence was commuted to 6 years, and the fine was waived
Ahmed Toyin, aged 46: Sentenced in 2020 to 12 years & N1M fine for conspiracy to hijack a fishing vessel. Sentence also commuted and fine waived
Shobajo Saheed, age 57: Sentenced in 2020 to 12 years and a fine of N1M for conspiracy to hijack a fishing vessel. He got a similar reprieve like the others
Adamole Philip, aged 52 years: Sentenced to 12 years & a N1M fine for conspiracy to hijack a fishing vessel, 2020. Philip also got his term reduced to seven years and the fine waived
Mathew Masi, aged 39: Also sentenced to 12 years and a fine of N1 million for conspiracy to hijack a fishing vessel. The sentence was reduced to six years, and the fine was waived
Bright Agbedeyi, 46, was also sentenced in 2020 for conspiracy to hijack a fishing vessel. Like the others in his category, he got a reprieve
List of inmates on death row reduced to life imprisonment
Emmanuel Baba, aged 38: sentenced to death in 2017 for culpable homicide. On death row in Kuje Custodial Centre for the past 8 years. The sentence was commuted to life imprisonment based on good conduct and remorsefulness
Emmanuel Gladstone, aged 45, was sentenced in 2020 to death for murder and had spent five years at Katsina Custodial Centre. Death sentence commuted to life imprisonment due to good conduct and remorse
Moses Ayodele Olurunfemi, aged 51: sentenced to death in 2012 for culpable homicide and had spent 13 years on death row in Katsina. President Tinubu commuted the death sentence to life imprisonment
Abubakar Usman, aged 59: sentenced to death in 2014 and had spent 14 years on death row in Katsina. His sentence was commuted to life because of his remorse and good conduct
Khalifa Umar, aged 37: sentenced to death in 2014 and had spent 11 years on death row in Kano Custodial Centre. His sentence has been commuted to life imprisonment
Benjamin Ekeze, age 40: sentenced to death in 2017 for armed robbery and conspiracy, and had spent 12 years on death row at Kirikiri, Lagos. The sentence was also commuted to life
Mohammed Umar, aged 43: sentenced to death in 2018 for culpable homicide and had spent seven years on death row in Onitsha Custodial Centre. He got the Presidential reprieve, commuting the death sentence to life imprisonment
(PUNCH)

News

Why Macaulay, Vatsa, Saro-Wiwa, Others Were Granted Pardons — Presidency

Published

3 hours ago

October 11, 2025

Editor

The Presidency on Saturday said President Bola Tinubu’s decision to grant presidential pardon and clemency to 175 Nigerians and foreigners, including late environmental activist Ken Saro-Wiwa, Major General Mamman Vatsa, and other members of the “Ogoni Nine”, was part of efforts to promote fairness, justice, and national unity.

The Presidency also revealed that the President corrected a historical injustice committed by British colonial authorities against Sir Herbert Macaulay, one of Nigeria’s foremost nationalists, who was banned from public office in 1913 after being convicted of misappropriation of funds.

The PUNCH reports that Tinubu had signed off on pardons for Sir Herbert Macaulay and 174 others.

This marked one of the most expansive uses of the presidential prerogative of mercy, touching on high-profile historical cases.

In a statement signed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the Presidency explained that the exercise was guided by the recommendations of the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, chaired by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).

According to Onanuga, Tinubu’s gesture was extended to individuals who had either demonstrated remorse, exhibited good conduct, acquired vocational skills, or shown evidence of reformation during incarceration. Others, he said, benefited due to old age, ill health, or historical injustice.

“Illegal miners, white-collar convicts, remorseful drug offenders, foreigners, Major General Mamman Vatsa, Major Akubo, Professor Magaji Garba, capital offenders such as Maryam Sanda, Ken Saro Wiwa, and the other Ogoni Eight were among the 175 convicts and former convicts who received President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s mercy on Thursday.

“President Tinubu granted clemency to most of them based on the reports that the convicts had shown remorse and good conduct. He forgave some due to old age, the acquisition of new vocational skills, or enrolment in the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). President Tinubu also corrected the historic injustice committed by British colonialists against Sir Herbert Macaulay, one of Nigeria’s foremost nationalists,” the statement read.

Among the beneficiaries of the presidential pardon were Major General Mamman Vatsa, executed in 1986 for alleged coup plotting, and Ken Saro-Wiwa alongside eight other Ogoni activists who were executed in 1995 under the Abacha regime. Their posthumous pardon, Onanuga said, was part of Tinubu’s effort to “heal old wounds and promote national unity.”

A total of 175 convicts and former convicts benefited from the President’s mercy. These included two inmates and 15 former convicts (11 of whom are deceased) granted full pardon, 82 inmates granted clemency, 65 who had their sentences commuted, and seven inmates whose death sentences were reduced to life imprisonment.

Prominent among the living beneficiaries are Farouk Lawan, former lawmaker convicted for corruption; Professor Magaji Garba, former Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Gusau; and Maryam Sanda, who was sentenced to death in 2020 for killing her husband.

Sanda’s clemency, according to the Presidency, followed appeals citing her remorse, good behaviour, and the need to care for her two children.

Others pardoned or granted sentence reduction include convicted drug traffickers, illegal miners, and persons convicted of white-collar crimes, several of whom demonstrated good conduct or enrolled in rehabilitation and educational programmes while serving their terms.

The committee’s report, presented during Thursday’s Council of State meeting chaired by President Tinubu, also recommended that the sentences of some death row inmates be commuted to life imprisonment due to their remorse and long periods in confinement.

Onanuga said the exercise was consistent with Section 175 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which empowers the President to grant pardons and reprieves after consultation with the Council of State.

The Presidency emphasised that the decision was not taken lightly but was a product of extensive review and recommendations.

Previous reports had indicated that the move was part of a broader effort by the Tinubu administration to decongest custodial centres across the country and promote humane justice reforms.

The full list of beneficiaries, released by the Presidency, includes inmates convicted of drug trafficking, illegal mining, fraud, manslaughter, and other offences. Senator Ikra Aliyu Bilbis has also undertaken to oversee the rehabilitation and empowerment of all pardoned illegal miners.

News

Girls Are Leaders Shaping Better Future – UNICEF

Published

5 hours ago

October 11, 2025

Editor

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Bauchi Field Office, says girls are not just survivors of adversity, but are leaders shaping a better future.

Mr Raphael Aiyedipe, the Education Officer, UNICEF Nigeria, Bauchi Field Office, stated this in Bauchi on Saturday during the commemoration of the 2025 International Day of the Girls.

According to him, across the globe, girls are rising, leading movements, challenging norms, innovating in science and technology, excelling in classrooms, and building communities.

Aiyedipe, however, said that yet, millions of girls still face barriers-violence, child marriage, lack of education, and mental health challenges.

He added that the facts were sobering, but the solutions were within reach.

“Today, we gather not just to commemorate, but to commit to amplify the voices of girls, to champion their rights, and to invest in their futures.

“This day is a call to action; a reminder that every girl deserves the freedom to dream; the tools to thrive; and the power to lead.

“It is a moment to listen to girls; to learn from them; and to stand beside them as allies and advocates, ” he said.

According to him, together let us amplify girls’ voices; support their leadership; and commit to creating safe, inclusive spaces where they can thrive.

“Together, we stand with girls because when girls lead, the world moves forward.

“When we invest in girls, we invest in stronger communities and brighter economies,” he said.

In her paper presentation entitled: ‘Breaking Barriers in Education: Why every Girl belongs in education”, Prof. Doris Boryo, advocated for the girl child education in the country.

Boryo, who is the Dean, Post Graduate Studies, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) Bauchi, said when a girl was educated, it increases her involvement in political processes.

According to her, educated women were more likely to participate in political discussions, meetings and decision making.

These, she said, promote a more representative and effective government, safe sex education and infant mortality.

“If women all over the world had a secondary education, child deaths would be cut in half, saving millions of lives and it will decrease the level of child marriage.

“It also strengthens economies and advances the fight to end poverty.

“When women of a country are learned and educated, the whole economy develops and flourishes,” she said.

The Commissioner of Police in Bauchi state, Sani Omolori-Aliyu said the safety, dignity and rights of a girl child were protected by international convention on the rights of the girl child.

Represented by ASP Ladi Hycynth, the commissioner said that the convention also granted the girls right to survival, development, education, freedom from harm and exploitation.