THE people of Gaba in Lavun Local Government Area of Niger State have rejected the recent state pardon granted to 11 people sentenced to death for the 2018 killing of seven farmers from the community.
They warned that the move could escalate tensions and further erode trust in the Nigerian justice system.
Their outrage, expressed during a press conference on Thursday, June 5, in Minna by the Chairman of Gaba Development Association, Paul Gana, comes amid heightened insecurity in the state.
Gana expressed shock and disappointment at the governor’s decision, warning that it could reignite communal tensions.
He further called on the state government to withdraw the pardon and respect the court judgment.
According to him, the men were convicted and sentenced to death by hanging by a judge, Maimuna A. Abubakar of the Niger State High Court on February 2, 2022, following a four-year legal process.
He noted that the judge, in her 779-page judgment, found the 11 defendants guilty of conspiracy and culpable homicide in connection with the attack, which left seven dead and two injured.
Backstory
Recall that on Tuesday, June 3, the state government announced that all 11 men had been granted an unconditional pardon.
Niger State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Nasiru Mu’azu, confirmed the development during a briefing at the Government House in the state capital.
He explained that the pardon followed a formal plea from the convicts and subsequent review by the State Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, with the governor signing the instrument on May 28, 2025.
He also noted that the pardon was issued under Section 212(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which empowers the governor to exercise the prerogative of mercy.
“After thorough consideration and on the council’s recommendation, Governor Bago signed the pardon instrument on May 28, 2025,” Muazu said, adding that the pardon had been officially gazetted.
The commissioner stressed that “the pardon is aimed at fostering unity, healing, and lasting peace between the two communities.”
He also noted that several peace-building meetings had been held with local leaders before the clemency decision.
Those granted the pardon were Mohammed Mohammed, Nana Alhaji Sheshi, Isah Baba Nmadu, Mohammed Mohammed Ndabida, Abubakar Baba Salihu, Baba Mohammed Shaba, Adamu Mohammed Babaminin, Haruna Mohammed, Isah Mohammed Alhaji Inuwa, Ibrahim Mohammed and Mohammed Isah.
Growing culture of clemency amid rising insecurity
The Gaba community’s outrage also reflects a broader frustration with how the Nigerian government has, in recent years, handled accountability in cases of mass violence, insecurity and terrorism.
Across Niger State, which has suffered repeated attacks by bandits, herdsmen, and armed militias, communities continue to live under the threat of violence.
According to reports, large parts of Shiroro, Munya, and Rafi LGAs have been overrun by criminal groups. Residents have been displaced, schools shut down, and farmlands abandoned.
Even more controversially, the Federal Government has at various times granted amnesty and reintegration to ‘repentant’ Boko Haram fighters — a move that has been criticised for failing to bring closure to victims of terror attacks, while allowing former insurgents to rejoin society with little accountability.
The ICIR reported how some of the terrorists’ commanders who repented and reintegrated into society by the government have taken up deadlier arms again with their foot soldiers and are unleashing mayhem on Nigerians.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M