Nigeria @59, Gov. Yahaya Bello of kogi State set 40 condemned convicted inmates free

Kogi state Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has set at list 40 condemned convict across various prison in Nigeria free.

Bello disclose this at his @59 days Nigerian independent celebration speech

According to him, “exercise of prerogative of mercy by his excellency, governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state pursuant to section 212 of the 1999 constitution of Nigeria (as amended) and in commemoration of independence day, 1st of october, 2019.

My fellow citizens and residents of Kogi State, you may wish to recall that on 27th January 2017 and 1st October 2018, 17 and 5 convicts of various categories respectively were recommended for pardon and commutation of sentence by the State Advisory Council of the Prerogative of Mercy. I approved the said recommendations; which has been implemented.

Once again, the Kogi State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy acting in consonance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Kogi State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy Law, 1995, visited several Custodial Centres in some states of the Federation where condemned convicts and other categories of convicts are being kept.

Careful scrutiny of the applications of the convicts, supporting documents and testimonies given by the Officials in Charge of the various Custodial Centres were to the effect that some of the convicts deserve another chance in life, hence the recommendations made by the said Council.

Therefore, I, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, the Executive Governor of kogi State, under and by virtue of the powers conferred on me by section 212 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) do HEREBY this 1st day of October, 2019 render and pronounce in exercise of the said powers declare as follows:-

A. That the under listed convicts serving sentences in Custodial centres located in Kogi State and who have less than 1 year to be discharged are hereby granted pardon and should be released forthwith:

OKENE CUSTODIAL CENTRE

1. Shaibu Zakari
2. James Sheidu
3. Muhammed Yahaya

IDAH CUSTODIAL CENTRE

1. Sunday Adeyemi

ANKPA CUSTODIAL CENTRE

1. Ugbede John
2. Ojonugwa Mathew
3. Abdulmumuni Yakubu
4. Muhammed Haruna

KOTON KARFE CUSTODIAL CENTRE

1. Daniel Ochonu
2. Abdulrahman

B. That Haruna Usman who is on death row in Koto Karfe Custodial Centre and awaiting the Governor’s pleasure has his sentence commuted to life imprisonment.

C. That the sentence of Kashim Abdullahi who is serving a 15-year jail term in Idah Custodial Centre be reduced to 10 years.

D. That the following condemned convicts who are in various Custodial Centres across the country are hereby granted pardon:

KUJE CUSTODIAL CENTRE

1. Ejimoh Hassan Iregwu
2. Ajoze Iregwu

SULEJA CUSTODIAL CENTRE

1. Shafiu Ibrahim Faari

MINNA CUSTODIAL CENTRE

1. Razaq Olarenwaju
2. James Adegwu
3. Peter Illiya Azabada

KADUNA CUSTODIAL CENTRE

1. Aminu Dio
2. Victor Ayegba Abu
3. Ganiyu Yakubu

KADUNA OPEN CUSTODIAL CENTRE

1. Rasheed Ayinde
2. Akeem Abiodun
3. James Afolabi
4. Sule Adehi

KANO CUSTODIAL CENTRE, GORON DUTSE

1. Yakubu Ali

GUMEL CUSTODIAL CENTRE

1. Jegede Adama

JOS CUSTODIAL CENTRE

1. Abubakar Haruna
2. Audu Mustapha
3. Sa’adatu Sani
4. Oladele Benjamin
5. Tahiru Yusuf

ENUGU CUSTODIAL CENTRE

1. Abdulrahman Amoto Sambit

ABEOKUTA CUSTODIAL CENTRE

1. Rasheed Kareem

E. That the following condemned convicts who are in various Custodial Centres across the country hereby have their death sentences commuted to life:

KUJE CUSTODIAL CENTRE

1. Sunday Egwuda Ajodo

KADUNA CONVICTS CUSTODIAL CENTRE

1. Kyambe Ambe
2. Garba Ibrahim
3. Idris Amodu
4. Ade Ayedun

KANO CENTRAL CUSTODIAL CENTRE

1. Jimoh Salawu

JOS CUSTODIAL CENTREDanjuma Ibrahim
b. Pastor Sunday Alfa
c. Friday Olorunfemi
d. Jimoh Michael

ENUGU CUSTODIAL CENTRE

1. Gashius Soba

KATSINA STATE CUSTODIAL CENTRE

1. Benjamin Oyakhire

I hereby use this medium to call on the individual communities of the beneficiaries of this amnesty to tolerate them, absolve them and to also give them another chance in life. It is human to err but to forgive is divine.

The beneficiaries of this exercise should be given every form of assistance they may require to settle down and to also move on with their respective lives. And I expect the beneficiaries to reciprocate this gesture by eschewing evil and living at peace in their respective communities.

Fellow citizens, our greatest asset as Nigerians and Kogites is our diversity, and our greatest need is for transformational leadership which can foster the Unity we need to make our diversity work.

Nigeria is endowed with all the natural and human resources to become a developed country in a relatively short space of time. With the right leadership, we will have plenty of reasons to look to the future with optimism.

Those who will thrive in the next level Nigeria which is emerging under the current leadership are those who can reach beyond the challenges of today to lay hold, with great expectations, on the promises of tomorrow. May you be such a person.

I cannot end this address without thanking the great people of Kogi State for the unprecedented support we received during the 2019 General Elections earlier in the year.

Kogites voted the APC for the Presidency and helped reelect His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari and His Excellency, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo for a 2nd term in office. They also voted the APC into 2 out of 3 three Senatorial seats, 7 out of 9 House of Representatives seats and a historic 25 out of 25 Kogi State House of Assembly seats.

We are grateful.

Please come out again on November 16 to vote for the APC ticket in the 2019 Kogi State Gubernatorial Elections, comprising myself and my running mate, Edward David Onoja. We will never let you down.

Thank you, and God bless.

Long Live Kogi State

Long Live Nigeria

YAHAYA BELLO
GOVERNOR OF KOGI STATE