NIGERIA: OGUN STATE GOVERNOR COMMUTES DEATH SENTENCES OF 2 PRISONERS

January 26, 2012: Ogun State governor, Ibikunle Amosun, has granted amnesty to seven prisoners who were serving different jail terms in the state.
The governor was said to have announced the pardon after consultation with the Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy, as prescribed by Section 212 (2) of the 1999 Constitution.
The governor commuted to life imprisonment the death sentence passed on Messrs Rasidi Yisau and Saburi Adebayo, ordered the release of Ibrahim Yinusa and Olanrewaju John who were among prisoners serving sentences of three years and above with twelve months yet to serve with record of good conduct.
Kayode Adeyemi who was in the bracket of prisoners who are 60 years and above, Monday Iheakpo and Semiu Afolabi who belonged to the group of long term prisoners who have served more than 10 years with good records.
Amosun advised the lucky prisoners to continue to be of good conduct as they return to the society and described prisons as reformatory centres, deploring the situation where people become hardened after a prison spell. (Sources: vanguardngr.com, 26/01/2012)