Kano State governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, yesterday, released and pardoned 12 inmates on death row and commuted death sentences of six inmates to life imprisonment.
The spokesperson, Kano State command of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Musbahu Lawan Nasarawa, who confirmed this in a statement made available to newsmen in the state, said the governor also pardoned four female inmates with long-term sentences, based on their good behaviour and industry as recommended by the correctional authorities.
According to him, some of the pardoned inmates had spent 25 years awaiting execution.
In his speech, the chairman of the prerogative of mercy, Abdullahi Garba Rano, thanked Ganduje for using the power conferred on him by the constitution to release the inmates with good behaviour on the recommendation of the advisory council of prerogative of mercy.
The governor also gave N5,000 transport fare to each of the freed inmates to enable them reunite with their families.
The controller of Corrections, Kano State command, Sulaiman Mohd Inuwa, thanked the governor for decongesting the custodial centre and called on the beneficiaries to be good ambassadors of the Nigerian Correctional Service to the society and to stay away from crime.
