Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, in a New Year Goodwill Message to
the people of the state, has granted pardon to four prisoners serving
various jail terms in Plateau State.
A statement issued on Tuesday in Jos, signed by Mark Longyen, the
Governor’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity and made
available to newsmen in Jos , said Lalong approved the granting of
pardon to the convicts in commemoration of the New Year, 2019.
Longyen said the Governor took the decision after consultation with the
State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy, and in exercise of his
power of Prerogative of Mercy.
It added that the sentences of three of the convicts were commuted to
absolute pardon, while the third convict had his life sentence commuted
to 21 years.
The statement reads in part:
“In exercise of the powers conferred on him under Section 212 of the
Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended),
Granting of Amnesty Order, the Executive Governor of Plateau State, His
Excellency, Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong, after consultation with the
State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy, and in exercise of his
power of Prerogative of Mercy and to commemorate the New Year Day 2019,
has approved the granting of pardon to some prisoners.
Those pardoned are Abdullahi Musa – Absolute pardon. ,. Rev. Samson
Bisat – Absolute pardon.,. Chikwu Anadi – Absolute pardon, Emmanuel
Ochiba – Life imprisonment commuted to 21 years jail term.”
Governor Lalong added that the people of the state and the nation at
large should commit the year 2019 to sobriety, penance, forgiveness and
fervent prayers for divine intervention, stressing that “no challenge
under heaven is immune to the power of prayers.”