Nigerian leader's pardon of executed Ogoni activists draws criticisms

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has posthumously pardoned nine environmental activists executed 30 years ago by the then-ruling military junta, drawing sharp criticism and anger from activists who argued on Friday that the individuals committed no crime.

During an event Thursday to mark the 26th anniversary of Nigeria’s return to democracy, Tinubu pardoned the “Ogoni Nine,” including celebrated writer Ken Saro-Wiwa, and described them as “national heroes.”

The men were convicted of murdering four local chiefs and were hanged in 1995 by the then-military regime led by Gen. Sani Abacha. They were part of the Ogoni ethnic group in the oil-rich Niger Delta region, and had protested environmental pollution in the region by multinational oil companies, particularly Shell.

Their trial and murder sparked international outrage at the time, with rights groups calling it unjust and lacking credible evidence.

Local rights and civil society groups described Tinubu's pardon as misleading and “insulting.”

“A pardon is given to people who have been convicted of wrongdoing," said Ken Henshaw, executive director of local rights group We The People.

Henshaw said the process leading to their execution did not prove that they were guilty of the allegations against them. “For him (Tinubu) to say he wants to pardon them is a misnomer,” he added.

The Nigerian government must also recognize formally that the murdered activists are “innocent of any crime and fully exonerate them,” said Isa Sanusi, Amnesty International Nigeria’s director.

“Full justice for the Ogoni Nine is only a first step," said Sanusi. “Much more needs to be done to get justice for communities in the Niger Delta, including holding Shell and other oil companies to account for the damage they have done and continue to do.”

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FILE - Protesters march to remember the 10th anniversary of a military junta's execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa at the city of Port Harcourt, Nigeria, on Thursday, Nov. 10, 2005. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba, File)

ISLAMABAD (AP) — A gas cylinder explosion early Sunday after a wedding reception at a home in Pakistan’s capital killed at least eight people, including the bride and groom, police and officials said.

The blast occurred as guests who had gathered to celebrate the couple were sleeping at the house, causing part of the house to collapse, according to the Islamabad police. Seven people were injured.

In a statement, police said the explosion occurred in a residential area in the heart of the city. A government administrator, Sahibzada Yousaf, said authorities were alerted about the blast early Sunday and officers are still investigating. He said some nearby homes were also damaged.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief over the loss of lives and offered condolences to the victims’ families, according to a statement from his office. He directed health authorities to ensure the injured receive the best possible treatment and ordered a full investigation.

Many Pakistani households rely on liquefied petroleum gas cylinders because of low natural gas pressure, and such cylinders have been linked to deadly accidents caused by gas leaks. Police said investigations were ongoing.

Government officials survey the damage of a home caused by a gas cylinder explosion hours after a wedding reception, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Ehsan Shahzad)