Kogi State Governor pardons 101 inmates for Nigeria's Independence

Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has granted executive clemency to 101 inmates and convicts to mark Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary. The decision follows recommendations from the Kogi State Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy, a seven-member council chaired by Attorney-General Muizudeen Yunus Abdullahi.

Of the beneficiaries, 94 were granted mercy, while seven had their sentences remitted. The selection process considered factors such as age, health, remorse, rehabilitation, skills acquired, and public safety. Notable beneficiaries granted mercy on medical or age grounds include 91-year-old Lamidi Mohammed Garuba and 72-year-old Ajagbonna Olufemi David.

Governor Ododo stated that the exercise was guided by humanitarian circumstances, justice, and the goal of rehabilitation. He also used the occasion to call for collective responsibility in maintaining public order, urging religious, traditional, and community leaders to collaborate with the government to combat crime and improve social stability.