Gombe Gov Pardons 31 Prisoners, Commutes Death Penalty to 21 Years Imprisonment

Gombe State Governor,  Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, on Wednesday pardoned 31 prisoners and commuted the death penalty passed on one other convict to 21 years' imprisonment.

The convicts got clemency from the governor’s power on prerogative of mercy under Section 212(1) of the 1999 Constitution, sequel to recommendation by the Gombe State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy, headed by the state Commissioner of Justice and Attorney-General, Zubair Muhammad Umar.

The Council had earlier received 71 applications by convicts serving sentences in Gombe Medium Security and other Custodial Centres at Bajoga, Billiri, Cham and Tula.

The Council took into consideration the old age of applicants ( 50 years and above), young persons ( 16 years and below) and persons serving 3 years and above with less than 6 months to serve and record of good behaviour.

Others are persons suffering from terminal illness and those serving long term sentences and have served more than 10 years and have record of good behaviour.

Meanwhile, Governor Yahaya has given reasons why the Christian community in the state missed out from participating in last year's pilgrimage to Israel.

The governor had come under heavy criticism for unequal treatment of different religious adherents which resulted in failure of the state government sponsorship of the 2019 Christian pilgrimage to Israel.

But Yahaya, while receiving the Christian faithful who paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House, Gombe recently said: "As a Muslim, I held the Qur'an and swore to do justice to all people, and so, if I do otherwise, I will face God and be held responsible for my actions".

According to Yahaya, who hosted the Christian community on a Christmas and New year homage, his administration met a huge debt of over N280 million inherited from the immediate past administration for previous pilgrimage exercises which needed to be cleared.

He assured them that Christian pilgrimage to Israel from Gombe State had been a yearly programme in the past and vowed that his administration will continue with it.

The Governor then assured that "since we couldn't make it for the 2019 pilgrimage, I assure you that we will not miss the 2020 Easter pilgrimage".

While expressing his happiness over the relative peace that is being enjoyed in the State which he said was the reason why there is an influx of people from neighbouring insurgency ravaged States, he called on the people of the State to join hands and cooperate with security agents to keep the State peaceful.

He then announced a donation of N10 million gift to the State CAN.

Earlier, the State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev Ibrahim Joda, who led other Christian faithful, told the governor that there was no way Christians in the State will fight his government having played a prominent role in bringing the government into power.