UBA SANI GRANTS CLEMENCY TO 97 INMATES, OFFERS REINTEGRATION SUPPORT ON DEMOCRACY DAY
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has granted clemency to 97 inmates at the Kaduna Correctional Centre as part of activities marking the 2026 Democracy Day celebration.
The governor also announced cash grants for the beneficiaries and offered them admission opportunities into state-owned vocational training institutes to facilitate their rehabilitation and reintegration into society.
Speaking during a ceremony at the correctional facility on Friday, Sani said Democracy Day provides an opportunity to reflect on the sacrifices made by Nigerians in the struggle for democratic governance and to reaffirm commitment to justice, freedom, and national unity.
“Democracy Day provides an opportunity to honour the sacrifices of those who struggled for the restoration of democratic governance and to renew our commitment to the ideals of justice, freedom and national unity,” he said.
The governor explained that the clemency was granted under the constitutional Prerogative of Mercy following recommendations from the Kaduna State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy, which reviewed eligible cases.
According to him, the exercise involved the outright release of some inmates, commutation of sentences for others, and payment of fines on behalf of selected beneficiaries.
“While justice must be upheld, we must never lose sight of the transformative power of redemption and the importance of second chances,” Sani stated.
He urged the released inmates to embrace the opportunity and pursue lawful, productive lives after their return to society.
To support their rehabilitation, the governor announced cash grants for all beneficiaries and offered them admission into Kaduna State Skills Acquisition and Vocational Institutes located in Soba, Rigachikun, and Samaru-Kataf.
He said the initiative is aimed at equipping the former inmates with practical skills that would enable them to become self-reliant and contribute positively to economic development.
Sani also appealed to traditional rulers, religious leaders, community organisations, and residents to support the reintegration of the beneficiaries.
“Successful rehabilitation requires collective societal support. We must all play our part in ensuring that those who have served their time are allowed to rebuild their lives,” he said.
As part of efforts to strengthen correctional services, the governor approved the donation of a utility bus to the Nigerian Correctional Service, Kaduna State Command, alongside medical equipment and consumables to improve healthcare delivery within the facility.
Earlier, the Kaduna State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, James Kanyip, described the clemency exercise as a reflection of the governor’s reform-oriented and compassionate leadership.
Kanyip noted that the Prerogative of Mercy remains an important constitutional mechanism for balancing justice with compassion, promoting rehabilitation, and reducing congestion in correctional facilities.
In a separate Democracy Day message, Governor Sani described June 12 as a landmark in Nigeria’s democratic history, noting that the annulled 1993 presidential election demonstrated the ability of Nigerians to transcend ethnic, religious, and regional divides in pursuit of a common national goal.
The governor, who participated in the pro-democracy struggle, paid tribute to prominent figures of the movement, including Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, Gani Fawehinmi, Beko Ransome-Kuti, Kudirat Abiola, and Bola Tinubu.
“Their courage remains a powerful reminder that freedom is never free and that democracy must be nurtured, protected and strengthened by every generation,” he said.
June 12 is officially observed as Nigeria’s Democracy Day in honour of the struggle that followed the annulment of the 1993 presidential election, widely regarded as the freest and fairest in the nation’s history, and which ultimately paved the way for the return to democratic rule in 1999.
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