THE Governor of Lagos State Babajide Sanwo-Olu has approved the release of 246 prisoners from various correctional facilities in the state.
The Governor also commuted 39 inmates on death row to life imprisonment.
The state Attorney-General for Justice, Lawal Pedro, in a statement issued on Friday, December 29, stated that Sanwo-Olu signed the release order on December 20 in honor of the new year’s celebration and in accordance with the Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy.
The release approval of the detainees, the statement said was in line with the governor’s pledge to decongest the prison as part of the judicial system’s reforms.
The commissioner said that the Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy in reaching its recommendations, exercised due diligence in its deliberation of the applications in line with the applicable guidelines
He also disclosed that in order to arrive at its recommendations, the Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy had carefully considered each application in accordance with the relevant regulations.
“The Council took note of the information provided by the correctional authorities, the nature of the offence, period of incarceration, age, health and behavioural conduct of the inmates.
“The exercise is in pursuant to the provisions of Section 212 (1) (2) of the 1999 Constitution of The Federal Republic of Nigeria (amended),” part of the statement read.
Fatimah Quadri is a Journalist and a Fact-checker at The ICIR. She has written news articles, fact-checks, explainers, and media literacy in an effort to combat information disorder.
She can be reached at sunmibola_q on X or [email protected]