Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo state has pardoned 21 prisoners to mark Nigeria’s 57th independence anniversary.
This was made known in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Communication and Strategy, Yomi Layinka on Saturday in Ibadan.
Layinka said the development was in exercise of the governor’s power of prerogative of mercy in pursuant to the provisions of section 212 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
He disclosed that seven persons were granted release from prison, having spent varying terms of their sentences.
”Thirteen had their death sentences reduced to a term of years, having spent considerable terms in prison, while one person had his death sentence commuted to life imprisonment,” he said.
Layinka said the records of the benefiting convicts suggested they had undergone reforms.
He noted that some of them had, while in incarceration, passed their General Certificate of Education (GCE) examinations and obtained first degree certificates from the National Open University.
Layinka added that the governor hoped his gesture would be reciprocated by the beneficiaries by maintaining good conduct and becoming useful to themselves and the society.
