Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State on Wednesday granted pardon to three men awaiting execution as an exercise of his executive powers to mark Nigeria’s 54th Independence anniversary celebrations.
The
governor also commuted the death sentences of nine other prisoners to various
terms of imprisonment.
Speaking
at a special ceremony in Asaba, the state capital, Uduaghan said the pardon of
the prisoners was based on recommendations from the State Advisory Council on
the Prerogative of Mercy.
“As
part of the independence Day celebration, through the power conferred on me
under section 212 of the Nigerian Constitution and based on the recommendation
from the State Advisory Council of the Prerogative of Mercy, I have granted total
pardon to three prisoners sentenced to death and granted amnesty to nine other
prisoners on death row whose sentences have now been commuted to various terms
of imprisonment,” the governor said.
He
disclosed that a case of a 24 year-old-boy, who was 16 years at the time he was
arrested for stealing a phone and was sentenced to death, was being looked
into. He said but for an appeal filed by the family he would have granted him
pardon.
He
therefore pleaded with the family to withdraw the appeal from the court to
enable him exercise the relevant powers and grant the accused pardon.
He
appealed to the sponsors of the terrorist group, Boko Haram, to use the
occasion of the Independence celebrations to end their terrosist activities.
“I want
to call on sponsors of Boko Haram that enough is enough, they should have a
rethink, they have killed, maimed, kidnapped and today, we are saying, enough
is enough,” he said.
Uduaghan
urged Nigerians to always support President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration
and pray for those who were staking their lives for Nigeria to remain an
indivisible entity.
He thanked the security
agencies, royal fathers, spiritual leaders and all Deltans for the different
roles they are playing in moving the state and the country forward.
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