The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has hailed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2025 Democracy Day decision to issue a posthumous pardon for the Ogoni Nine, describing the move as historic, courageous, and a vital step toward national healing.
Newsonspot reports that the pardon was granted to nine environmental and human rights activists – Ken Saro-Wiwa, Dr. Nubari Kiobel, Nordu Eawo, Saturday Doobe, John Kpuinen, Paul Levura, Daniel Gbokoo, Felix Nuate, and Baribor Bera – who were executed in 1995 by the military regime of General Sani Abacha following a highly controversial trial.
In a statement signed by Fegalo Nsuke, President of MOSOP, the group expressed deep appreciation for President Tinubu’s recognition of the injustice, calling it a moment of “compassion and clarity” that distinguishes him from past Nigerian leaders.
“Few administrations have dared to confront this painful legacy with such candor,” Nsuke said. “President Tinubu has answered a longstanding prayer from an oppressed people.”
However, MOSOP noted that while the presidential pardon is meaningful, it still implies an acknowledgment of guilt. The group insists that no legitimate crime was ever committed by Saro-Wiwa and his fellow campaigners – a view widely held by the international community and reaffirmed by President Tinubu himself during his speech:
“Today, we correct the record and honour their courage in the face of tyranny.”
To truly right the wrongs of the past, MOSOP is calling for a formal exoneration of the Ogoni Nine – a legal and moral declaration of innocence – that would completely remove the stain of the flawed 1995 convictions.
The group further recommended the establishment of a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to investigate and officially repudiate the irregularities of the Abacha-era tribunal, describing such a move as a “landmark act of restorative justice.”
“This administration has taken a bold step. History will surely honour it even more for completing the journey toward full justice,” the statement concluded.
The Ogoni Nine were executed after leading peaceful protests against environmental degradation in the Niger Delta, particularly by multinational oil corporations. Their deaths sparked international outrage and led to Nigeria’s suspension from the Commonwealth in 1995. Nearly 30 years later, the struggle they led remains a symbol of the fight for environmental justice and indigenous rights.
