Governors Have No Power to Pardon Terrorists – Deji Adeyanju

Abuja-based lawyer Deji Adeyanju has said state governors lack the constitutional authority to grant pardons or amnesty to terrorists.

In a statement on Thursday, Adeyanju condemned the practice of offering amnesty as a non-kinetic response to insecurity, insisting such actions are unconstitutional and legally invalid. His comments come amid persistent violence across the North-West, North-East and North-Central regions, where some states have pursued dialogue, negotiations and rehabilitation packages for armed groups.

While supporters argue the approach has brought temporary relief in some areas, critics say it emboldens criminals and undermines the rule of law. Adeyanju stressed that regardless of policy debates, governors have no legal backing to pardon terrorists.
“Under Section 212 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, a governor’s power of pardon is limited strictly to offences created by laws of the state. Terrorism, however, is a federal offence governed by the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act and falls squarely within matters of national security on the exclusive legislative list,” he said