115 inmates from various prisons around Yobe were chosen for pardons by Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni.
The pardon came after a thorough investigation by the sub-inaugural committee on the prerogative of mercy, which was led by Barrister Sale Samanja, a former attorney general and current senior special assistant on legal matters to the governor.
Samanja, who was delivering the report, stated that the governor’s pardon was in accordance with the authority granted to him by Section 212 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
All individuals liberated, according to barrister Samanja, were grateful for the governor’s generosity and pledged to utilize their newfound freedom to make up for their prior transgressions.
Governor Mai Mala Buni, who received the committee’s report at Government House Damaturu, emphasized the importance of it in light of his administration’s efforts to help the decongestion of the criminal justice system.
Buni said that as a government, he supports initiatives that would aid in the rehabilitation of prisoners and urged affluent people to help overturn trivial penalties that send many people to jail.
The governor expressed the hope that those who were released would have learned their lesson and wouldn’t do what got them in trouble again.
He applauded the committee for their work in successfully identifying and releasing the 115 prisoners.