Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, has granted clemency to 101 inmates and convicts under the constitutional prerogative of mercy, using the occasion of Nigeria’s 66th Independence anniversary.
Announcing the decision in his Independence Day address to the people of the state on Thursday, the governor said he adopted the recommendations of the Kogi State Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy, which he inaugurated on September 2, 2026.
Who benefits
According to the list read out in the address, nine inmates were granted mercy on old age and medical grounds. They include a 91-year-old, Lamidi Mohammed Garuba, who was described as remorseful. Others on the list are suffering from conditions such as tuberculosis, paralysis of both lower limbs and HIV/AIDS. One beneficiary’s report indicated signs of mental illness.
A further 85 inmates were pardoned on grounds of good conduct, rehabilitation, remorsefulness and compassion.
Seven others had their sentences remitted. Tunde Adura’s sentence was reduced to eight years from the date of conviction, Michael Ojonugwa’s to four years, while Olusaye Moses Abayomi, Abu Mowde, Zakariyau Baba, Rami Sadiq and Salawudeen Sanusi each had theirs reduced to three years.
How the council worked
The council is chaired by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Muizudeen Yunus Abdullahi, SAN. Its members are drawn from the judiciary, the legal profession, religious bodies, the Nigeria Police Force and the medical profession.
The governor said it reviewed records, considered representations on behalf of inmates and examined correctional reports. It also visited correctional centres in Koton Karfe, Kabba, Dekina, Ankpa, Idah and Okene.
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Among the factors considered were the inmates’ age and health, the nature of their offences, time already served, conduct in custody, remorse, vocational skills acquired, family and community support, the interests of victims and public safety.
“Mercy does not diminish the offence”
Governor Ododo stressed that the gesture did not lessen the gravity of the crimes for which the beneficiaries were convicted. He described it as “constitutional compassion” in deserving circumstances, informed by rehabilitation, remorse and the possibility of reintegration into society.
“Justice gives society order, but mercy gives humanity its conscience,” he said.
Charge to beneficiaries and the public
The governor urged those freed not to return to crime and to use the skills and lessons gained in custody to live responsibly. He also asked those who had undertaken to reconcile with their families, compensate victims or refund money to honour those commitments.
Addressing residents, he warned against involvement in kidnapping, armed robbery, fraud, cultism, drug-related offences and other crimes, saying poverty and peer pressure must never become excuses for criminality. He called on parents, traditional rulers, religious leaders and youth organisations to join government in fighting crime, describing it as a collective struggle.
The governor directed the Attorney-General to take all necessary administrative steps to implement the decision, including issuing the instruments of pardon and remission and notifying correctional authorities and other agencies.
Ododo also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reforms and called for unity, peace and hard work. He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to security, infrastructure, human capital development and economic empowerment.
