Nigeria: Monarch, 21 Prisoners Get State Pardon, Amnesty

Oba Gabriel Adepoju Adeyemo of Oko-Ile of Ogbomoso in Oyo State, western Nigeria was among the four convicts serving life jail terms at Agodi Prison granted state pardon by Governor Abiola Ajimobi on New Years’s day.
The other lifers are: Isaac Ogunniyi, Gabriel Ojetayo and Lukman Ajibola.
Oba Adeyemo was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2011 over a murder charge after someone was killed in a clash that occurred in a motor park close to his palace in his town.
Though the monarch claimed innocence of the charge against him but the court found him guilty and sentenced him to life imprisonment.
Also, 12 convicts who are on various terms of imprisonment for misdemeanors were granted total release and State pardon by the governor.
The convicts are: Wasiu Rasheed, Ajayi Akeem, Lati Balogun, Bisiriyu Olalekan, Joke Sunday, Kazeem Oladeji, Okunola Mathew, Tijani Ganiyu, Saheed Sikiru, Segun Amao, Rasheed Taiwo and Ademola Aloba.
Equally, the governor granted amnesty to five condemned prisoners who are: Bashiru Popoola, Mukaila Salawu, Obinna John, Idowu Emmanuel and Wahab Alao.
According to a statement from the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ojo Adebayo, the amnesty was in commemoration of the New Year anniversary.
“The amnesty was an exercise of the governor’s power to grant prerogative of mercy to convicts as conferred by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 under section 212(1) of the Constitution.”
Stressing that the state pardon and release take immediate effect, the State Attorney General said the governor is empowered to pardon, free, grant respite or substitute a severe punishment with lesser one as a form of amnesty for convicts, and by sub-section (2) of that section, can exercise that power on the advice of the Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy.
The release of the prisoners, said the commissioner, took immediate effect.