Governor Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto State has granted pardon to 113 inmates at the Sokoto Correctional Centre to mark Nigeria‘s 64th Independence Anniversary. This gesture was announced on Tuesday through the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Nasiru Binji.
Out of the pardoned inmates, 67 were released unconditionally, while 22 death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment. Additionally, 22 inmates serving life sentences had their terms reduced to 25 years, and two inmates had their sentences reduced by two years.
Governor Aliyu urged the released inmates to be good ambassadors of the correctional system as they reintegrate into society. He advised them to ensure that their lives are different from when they arrived at the correctional centre and to avoid returning to such a place.
The governor also donated ₦50,000 to each of the 67 inmates who were released to help them start their new lives. Lawal Gusau, the Sokoto State Controller of Correctional Services, expressed gratitude to the governor for this initiative, stating that it would help in decongesting correctional centers across the country.
