Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, on Thursday threw open the doors of freedom to 101 inmates and convicts, granting them pardon and other forms of executive clemency as part of activities marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary.
Governor Ododo announced the gesture in his Independence Day address to the people of the state, saying it was anchored on the constitutional prerogative of mercy and guided by considerations of rehabilitation, remorse, humanitarian circumstances, public interest and justice.
He said the decision was particularly significant because the anniversary represents freedom, responsibility and the enduring hope that future generations can build a better society. According to him, justice must be balanced with compassion, and a society committed to justice must also recognise rehabilitation and the possibility of redemption for those who show genuine remorse.
The governor disclosed that he inaugurated the seven-member Kogi State Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy on September 2, 2026, in line with the constitutional framework governing the exercise. The Council was chaired by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Muizudeen Yunus Abdullahi, SAN.
He said the Council reviewed the relevant case records, considered representations made on behalf of inmates and convicts, examined correctional reports, and visited custodial centres across the state, including those in Koton Karfe, Kabba, Dekina, Ankpa, Idah and Okene.
Governor Ododo explained that the Council weighed factors such as age, health, the nature and circumstances of the offences, time already served, conduct in custody, remorse, rehabilitation, vocational skills acquired, family and community support, the interests of victims, public safety and the broader interests of justice.
Of the 101 beneficiaries, 94 were granted mercy on grounds including old age, medical conditions, good conduct, rehabilitation, remorsefulness and compassionate considerations, while seven others received remission of sentence.
Those granted mercy on old-age and medical grounds include Lamidi Mohammed Garuba, aged 91; Ajagbonna Olufemi David, aged 72; Yakubu Atabo; Chief Umane Okeme; Saidu Atuluku Yunusa; Hilary Chike Nwaeze; Ebenezer Mopah; Abdullahi Jibril; and Usman Ismaila.
The beneficiaries whose sentences were remitted are Tunde Adura, Olusaye Moses Abayomi, Abu Mowde, Zakariyau Baba, Michael Ojonugwa, Rami Sadiq and Salawudeen Sanusi.
The governor stressed that the exercise did not diminish the seriousness of the offences for which the beneficiaries were convicted, describing it as an exercise of constitutional compassion in deserving circumstances.
He charged the freed inmates to treat the opportunity as a fresh responsibility and to return to their families and communities as responsible citizens.
“You have been given another opportunity, and every second opportunity comes with a greater responsibility,” he said, urging them not to return to crime and to put to productive use the skills, education and lessons acquired during incarceration.
Governor Ododo also appealed to residents, particularly young people, to reject kidnapping, armed robbery, fraud, theft, cultism, drug-related offences and other forms of criminality. He said poverty, peer pressure and the desire for quick wealth must never become excuses for crime, adding that hard work, education, enterprise, integrity and perseverance remain the legitimate pathways to a meaningful life.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to supporting security agencies and strengthening the administration of justice, while protecting citizens’ rights and maintaining firm action against criminal activities.
Calling on parents, traditional rulers, religious leaders, community leaders, youth organisations and other stakeholders to join government in the fight against crime, he said: “The battle against criminality is not a battle that government can win alone. It is a collective struggle for the soul and future of our communities.”
In the same address, the governor commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he described as the courage and vision with which his administration is pursuing national renewal. He said the Federal Government’s focus on economic reforms, infrastructure, energy, agriculture, education, healthcare, youth empowerment and social investment was aimed at addressing both immediate difficulties and longstanding structural challenges.
He particularly highlighted the recently approved deep offshore investment framework, which the Presidency says is designed to unlock up to US$50 billion in new investment and revive major deep offshore developments. He also cited interventions in education, agriculture, housing, compressed natural gas and domestic refining as part of the Federal Government’s broader development direction.
Governor Ododo said Kogi remained aligned with the national aspiration for a stronger, more prosperous and secure Nigeria. He noted that the state’s strategic location at the confluence of the Rivers Niger and Benue, along with its agricultural, mineral and tourism resources, gave it enormous development potential.
He reaffirmed commitments to investment in infrastructure, education, healthcare, agriculture, security, human capital development, rural electrification, mining, tourism and enterprise, with the aim of building a state where opportunities are accessible across communities.
The governor also called for unity among Kogi people irrespective of political, religious, ethnic or social differences. “Politics will come and go. Administrations will come and go. But Kogi State will remain our common home,” he said.
As Nigeria marked 66 years of independence, he urged Nigerians to renew their faith in the country and keep working towards a more productive and prosperous nation. He congratulated President Tinubu and Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora, and paid tribute to the country’s founding fathers, soldiers and security personnel serving to protect the nation.
“The Nigeria we desire is possible. The Kogi State we desire is possible. But possibility becomes reality only when hope is matched with action,” Governor Ododo said.
