…From Dele Ogunyemi, Ibadan…
The Governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, has granted amnesty to five condemned prisoners, total release and state pardon for four convicts who are on life imprisonment, as well as amnesty to 12 convicts who are on various terms of imprisonment for misdemeanors.
In a statement issued by the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ojo Adebayo , the amnesty was in commemoration of the New Year anniversary.
According to the Attorney General, 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.
The five condemned prisoners granted amnesty are Bashiru Popoola, Mukaila Salawu, Obinna John, Idowu Emmanuel and Wahab Alao.
The release said that the four prisoners on life imprisonment granted total release and state pardon are Oba Gabriel Adepoju Adeyemo, Isaac Ogunniyi, Gabriel Ojetayo and Lukman Ajibola.
According to the release, the 12 convicts who are on various terms of imprisonment for misdemeanors granted total release and State pardon by the governor 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.
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, takes immediate effect.