Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, has granted pardon to 17 prisoners serving various jail terms in the state.
He equally commuted the death sentences on four other prisoners to life imprisonment.
Senior Special Assistant on Media to the Governor, Adejuwon Soyinka, made this known in a statement issued and signed in Abeokuta on Thursday.
Soyinka said that the gesture was part of activities marking the 2016 Democracy Day and June 12 remembrance anniversaries in Ogun State.
“Seventeen prisoners serving different jail terms in Ogun State have been granted pardon by the State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun. Four others also have their death sentences commuted to life imprisonment,” Soyinka said.
According to the media aide, the Governor’s gesture was, “in line with the power conferred on him by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended.”
He added that the gesture “is in exercise of the Governor’s power to grant prerogative of mercy to convicts as conferred by the Constitution of the country.”
Those granted amnesty by the Governor were Wale Ibidapo Ogungbade, Emmanuel Obi, Oshilaru Abiodun, Wasiu Raimi, Abiola Samuel, Obi Moses, Abiodun Odedele, Ojo Wasiu, Lateef Bello, Dosu Sunday, Kayode Ogunsawo Sunday Agbehi, Stephen Kolade, Saburi Adebayo, Lekan Shodiya, Ogunsanya Segun and Tolani Ajayi.
The four prisoners on death row whose sentences were commuted to life imprisonment are Akeem Fatai, Nnamdi Osuagu, Sunday Oloyede and Idowu Okanlawon.
