Outage and condemnation have trailed the recent decision by the Niger State Governor, Umaru Mohammed Bago to grant state pardon to eleven individuals convicted for criminal acts in the State.
Among those granted the State pardon were those who gruesomely murdered of seven indigenes of Gaba community in Lavun Local Government Area of the State.
In an open letter to the Governor by the Gaba Development Association, the community stated that the pardon is a miscarriage of justice and a dangerous precedence to crime prevention. They warned that if the pardon stands, the Governor will be referenced as creating a backdoor escape for convicted murderers and criminals.
The letter signed by the association’s Public Relations Officer, Isah Baba warned that the move could erode public confidence in the judiciary and embolden criminality in the State.
The letter read in part, “This action will earn you the reputation of being the first governor in the history of Niger State to weaponize the power of state pardon to subvert and circumvent justice.
The community noted that the victims who were killed by the pardoned individuals were unarmed and innocent. They disclosed that the victims bodies were not only mutilated but also had parts carted away by the convicted attackers.
This is as the association described the incident as one of the most heinous crimes in Nupe history.
The community recalled how its elders and other concerned Niger indigenes intervened to prevent retaliatory attacks for the the judicial process to take its course. They pointed out that the court eventually found the accused guilty, bringing some sense of justice and closure to grieving families.
The community, therefore, stated that the state pardon has reopened old wounds and raised fears that justice can be manipulated through political or executive discretion.
“It devalues the lives of the victims, disrespects their families, and tramples on the rights and memories of the deceased. It also dampens the morale of law enforcement officers who painstakingly investigated the case,” the association lamented.
According to the association, the decision also stands in contrast to the Governor’s recent tough stance on crime in Minna, where a curfew was imposed on motorcycles and tricycles over rising insecurity.
They, therefore, warned that the pardon could send the wrong message to the public and potentially incite a fresh wave of violence if not urgently reversed.
Recall that the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Nasiru Muhammad Muazu, during a briefing on Tuesday, said the Governor granted unconditional state pardon to 11 persons sentenced to death by a Minna High Court. The convicts were involved in the deadly communal clash between Gaba and Anfani communities in Lavun Local Government Area of Niger State.
Making the announcement, Muazu said the pardon was granted in line with Section 212 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). Which empowers the Governor to exercise the prerogative of mercy.
He noted that the decision followed a plea submitted by the convicts, which was reviewed by the State Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy.