The Adamawa State Governor, Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri has granted an unconditional pardon to Sunday Jackson, a death row inmate at the Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre, alongside several others.
The development comes as a significant validation of earlier reports by NewsDirect, which had highlighted the intense campaign championed by the Youth Wing of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) calling for Jackson’s release.
The Governor’s decision, timed to coincide with the Christmas and New Year festivities, marks a victorious end to the advocacy for Jackson, who had been facing capital punishment.
Governor Fintiri’s directive, issued in the spirit of the season, offers Jackson a total reprieve from the hangman’s noose and a fresh opportunity for reintegration into society.
The pardon aligns with the clamour for mercy previously reported by this newspaper, where the PFN Youth Wing had urged the state government to temper justice with mercy, citing Jackson’s genuine repentance and potential for positive societal impact.
Alongside Jackson, the Governor also granted full pardons to two other inmates: Joseph Eugene, who was serving his term at the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Yola, and Maxwell Ibrahim, previously incarcerated at the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Kaduna.
Beyond the full pardons, Governor Fintiri exercised his constitutional authority to remit the remaining sentences of five other inmates. These individuals, currently held at the Medium Security Custodial Centres in Numan and Jada, were deemed eligible for release having served substantial portions of their terms with commendable behavioural improvement.
The beneficiaries of the sentence remission are; Joshua James Audo, Adamu Ibrahim, Mohammed Abubakar, Ibrahim Usman and Saidu Abubakar.
In a statement accompanying the pardon order, Governor Fintiri cited Section 212 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as the legal bedrock for his action.
He noted that the decision followed thorough recommendations from the Adamawa State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy.
“As we approach the joyous occasions of Christmas and New Year, it is fitting to extend a hand of mercy to those who have demonstrated genuine remorse and a commitment to rehabilitation,” Governor Fintiri stated.
He emphasized that the beneficiaries had shown significant and sustained improvement in their conduct, validating the administration’s belief that correctional facilities should serve as centers for reformation rather than mere punishment.
The Governor charged the released citizens to reciprocate the gesture by embarking on a path of responsible citizenship and contributing positively to their communities.