Bala Mohamed, the Executive Governor of Bauchi State has granted clemency to 73 inmates across correctional facilities in the state on Wednesday.
The governor also announced that each beneficiary would receive N100,000 as a starter pack to enable them to rebuild their lives.
“This ceremony coinciding with the blessed month of Ramadan makes it even more meaningful. While justice preserves order, mercy restores hope,” he said.
”The prerogative of mercy was exercised in line with Section 212 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended),” stressing that “the action is not routine but followed careful evaluation.”
“It requires wisdom, restraint, and balance between the sanctity of the law and the higher calling of redemption,” he said.
“This was not a symbolic gesture. It was rooted in fairness and accountability. Having carefully considered the recommendations presented to me, and in the exercise of the powers conferred on my office by the Constitution, I hereby grant clemency to 73 inmates across the various custodial centres in the state,” Mohammed declared.
“It is a deliberate decision to give deserving individuals a new lease of life. Today, we are choosing restoration over perpetual condemnation. No human being is beyond reform,”
“Today is not merely the end of a sentence; it is the beginning of responsibility. Society has extended trust to you. Do not betray it. Let your lives become testimonies that change is possible at any stage,”
“There is no honour in violence. There is no future in shortcuts. True strength lies in discipline, education, enterprise, and service to society.
“The government will continue to create opportunities, but you must choose the path of responsibility and dedication,”
“When society rejects transformed individuals, it pushes them towards despair and hopelessness. When society embraces them with guidance and accountability, it ensures lasting peace and security for all,” he said.
The governor expressed his appreciation to the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, along with the Nigerian Correctional Service, for their dedicated and thorough efforts in ensuring a fair and transparent selection process.