There has been widespread public reaction following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent decision to grant a presidential pardon to some Nigerians, including individuals who are already deceased.
The move, announced last week, has stirred mixed feelings among citizens, particularly in the northern part of the country, where many have questioned why former Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, was excluded from the list.
In an interview with The News Chronicle on Sunday evening, several residents from the North expressed disappointment over the development, describing it as unfair and politically motivated.
A businessman from Maiduguri, who preferred to remain anonymous, criticized the decision, saying that President Tinubu should have included Abba Kyari among those pardoned.
“I think this is politics and tribalism. Abba Kyari is an important figure in Nigeria a man who captured drug barons, kidnappers, and even Boko Haram terrorists,” he said.
“How can the government pardon some people who are known criminals and yet deny Abba Kyari, who has served this country diligently? To me, there must be something hidden maybe he refused to share some information with the authorities, and that’s why the President denied him pardon.”
He further added that many Northerners view the exclusion as an act of injustice.
“We, as Northerners, condemn this. We want President Tinubu to reconsider and extend mercy to Abba Kyari because of his integrity and his role in fighting insurgency and serious crimes in Nigeria.”
Another resident of Maiduguri, who identified himself as an indigene of Borno State, also expressed frustration over the situation.
“I support Abba Kyari completely. If there is truly justice in this country, the Federal Government should release him. He served Nigeria with commitment and risked his life for peace,” the resident said.
“Abba Kyari killed a notorious drug trafficker known as Dragon maybe that is why the government doesn’t want to pardon him. But there is God, and justice will prevail.”
The News Chronicle gathered that many residents of Borno State are unhappy with the recent presidential pardons, especially because DCP Abba Kyari was left out.
Some believe that his continued detention is politically motivated and does not reflect the contributions he made in combating crime and terrorism in Nigeria.
While the Federal Government has not provided official reasons for excluding Kyari from the list, public debate continues to grow over whether the decision was based on legal, political, or personal grounds.
For now, many Nigerians, particularly in the North, are calling on President Tinubu to revisit the issue and extend the same mercy to Abba Kyari that was given to others.
