Governors pardon 49 prisoners

Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State and his Adamawa counterpart, Muhammadu Bindow, have pardoned 49 prisoners, urging them to be more responsible citizens. 

According to a statement yesterday in Akure by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Yemi Olowolabi, Akeredolu observed that the prisoners had served parts of their sentences. 

The governor said: “This is in exercise of the power conferred on me by paragraph (d) of sub section (1) of Section 212 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.”

The commissioner said the pardon was approved by Akeredolu consequent upon the recommendation by the State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy.

In his letter, dated December 27, 2017 and addressed to the Comptroller of Prisons, the governor advised that the affected prisoners be released.

Being the first of its kind since he was sworn in as governor last February, Akeredolu implored the beneficiaries to become better citizens.

According to a statement by his Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Ahmad Sajoh obtained in Yola by the News agency of Nigeria (NAN), Bindow also commuted the death sentences of two others.

It reads: “As part of the new year celebration for 2018, His Excellency has invoked the powers conferred on him under the prerogative of mercy, acting on the advice of the Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, headed by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, and decided to pardon the convict.’’