Ahmed Aliyu, the Governor of Sokoto State, has granted pardon to 113 inmates at the Sokoto Correctional Centre.
Barrister Nasiru Binji, the attorney general and commissioner of justice, announced the pardon on behalf of the governor. He explained that the gesture was based on Section 212 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution (as amended).
“Of the 113 pardoned inmates, 67 were released unconditionally, while the death sentences of 22 inmates were commuted to life imprisonment.
“22 inmates serving life sentences had their terms reduced to 25 years, and two others had their sentences reduced by two years.”
Governor Aliyu encouraged the freed inmates to be model citizens as they get reintegrated into society.
To support their reintegration, Aliyu also announced a donation of N50,000 to each of the 67 released inmates to help them start afresh.
In his remarks, the Sokoto State Controller of Correctional Services, Mr Lawal Gusau, thanked the governor for his generous initiative, noting that it would support ongoing efforts to decongest correctional centres across the country.
