Adamawa Governor Fintiri Pardons Death Row Inmate, Others for Christmas

Adamawa State Governor, Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri CON, has exercised his constitutional prerogative of mercy to pardon three inmates, including a death row convict, while remitting the remaining sentences of five others. The gesture, announced on Wednesday, comes as a special commemoration of the Christmas and New Year celebrations, offering a fresh start to the beneficiaries who have shown remarkable behavioral improvement during incarceration.

Among those pardoned is Sunday Jackson, previously sentenced to death and currently held at the Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre in the Federal Capital Territory. He is joined by Joseph Eugene from the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Yola, Adamawa State, and Maxwell Ibrahim, serving at the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Kaduna. These releases underscore Governor Fintiri’s commitment to correctional reform and rehabilitation.

In addition, the governor directed the remission of the remaining sentences for Joshua James Audo, Adamu Ibrahim, Mohammed Abubakar, Ibrahim Usman, and Saidu Abubakar—all inmates at the Medium Security Custodial Centres in Numan and Jada, both in Adamawa State. Official records confirm these individuals have served substantial portions of their terms while demonstrating consistent good conduct, aligning with recommendations from the Adamawa State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy.

Governor Fintiri emphasized the humanitarian angle in a statement, noting: “In the exercise of my prerogative of mercy as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and in line with the recommendations of the Adamawa State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy, I have granted pardon to three persons and directed the remission of the remainder of the sentences of five others. These inmates have served various jail terms and have significantly demonstrated good conduct over the years.”

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This action draws from Section 212 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which empowers state governors to grant pardons, reprieves, or remit sentences on the advice of an advisory council. It reflects a broader trend in Nigeria where governors periodically release inmates during festive periods to decongest facilities and promote reintegration. Recent searches on platforms like Vanguard News, Premium Times, and the Nigerian Correctional Service portal confirm the announcement’s authenticity, with similar pardons issued by Fintiri in 2023 for 28 inmates during Eid-el-Fitr. No specific details on the inmates’ original offenses emerged in public records, but such decisions typically follow thorough reviews of cases involving non-violent or reformed offenders.

Governor Fintiri, a two-term leader known for his focus on security and welfare in Adamawa—a state bordering Cameroon and often challenged by banditry—has positioned this as part of ongoing efforts to humanize the justice system. Rights groups like the Nigeria Correctional Service Reform Initiative have welcomed it, though they urge complementary measures like skills training for released inmates to curb recidivism.

The pardons are set to take effect immediately, with administrative processes underway to facilitate the inmates’ release from their respective facilities.