It may as well be taken as pardon without benefits.
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That is the case with Adenike, the widow of Lt. Col O.O. Akiyode, aide to the former minister of communications, Major General Tajudeen Olanrewaju, who was convicted for the 1997 'phantom' coup under the Abacha administration.
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Akiyode died while still serving his prison term. and before all those also jailed for the controversial coup plot, including Lt. General Oladipo Diya, Olanrewaju and the late Major General AbdulKarim Adisa, were released courtesy of an amnesty proclamation in 1999 under the Abdulsalami administration.
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They received presidential pardon on March 12, 2013 after the National Council of State (NCS) approved a list presented to it by President Goodluck Jonathan.
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The implication of the pardon is that the former convicts are to receive all their benefits from the military authorities.
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Eight months after, however, the pardon seems to be in vain as the benefits are not forthcoming. A military source blamed the situation on the Presidency which has since failed to gazette the pardon after which the Army authorities would implement the payment.
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"Once the gazette is out from the Presidency, the Army will formally invite all those concerned to Abuja for documentation," the source said.
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Meanwhile the beneficiaries are unhappy that it is taking too long for the benefits to come. Two of them – Akiyode and Adisa – are dead.