The Gaba community in Lavun Local Government Area of Niger State are spoiling for war with her sister community, Amfani, also in Lavun LGA, following a state pardon granted to 11 deathroll convicts.

The Niger State Governor, Mohammed Bago in what has been described as a judicial tsunami, granted an unconditional pardon to 11 Amfani sons who were sentenced to death by a competent court of law after they were found guilty of killing seven sons of Gaba community.

The governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Bologi Ibrahim, made the pardon decision known via a statement which he made available to Arewa The PUNCH titled: “Governor Bago grants state pardon to 11 convicts.”

The statement which read in parts revealed that the “Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago has granted unconditional state pardon to 11 convicted persons who were sentenced to death.

“The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barrister. Nasiru Mu’azu disclosed this during a press briefing at the Government House, Minna.

“He explained that the convicts were involved in a communal clash between Gaba and Amfani communities of Lavun Local Government Area of the state, which led to the loss of lives and property.

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“The Commissioner revealed that the state pardon is in exercise of the constitutional powers of the governor following a written request which was further reviewed between the governor and the state Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy.

“He said the State pardon is also part of the reconciliatory efforts to ensure lasting peace between both communities, adding that several meetings have been held and all issues have been resolved.

“Answering questions from the media practitioners on the fate of others with similar issues, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice advised such communities or individuals with similar issues to come up with a written request for consideration.

“He said the Instrument of Pardon was signed on the 28th of May 2025 and has been gazetted.

“Those granted state pardon are: 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,” Ibrahim stated.

However, shortly after the decision to grant the state pardon to the convicts was announced, all hell was let loose in the Gaba community as the youths took to the streets to protest the governor’s action, saying that the governor had set the stage for more bloodbath.

According to the chairman of the Gaba Development Association, Paul Gana, it took the intervention of elders in the community to dissuade the youths from taking the law into their hands.

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In an open letter to the Niger State Governor signed by the Public Relations Officer of the Gaba Development Association, Isah Baba reminded the governor that the prerogative of mercy in the Nigerian constitution is not to be misused to undermine the sanctity of the Judiciary.

“We, the people of Gaba in Lavun Local Goverment, have decided to use this medium to air our grievances and not keep silent over the exercise of state pardon granted to convicted murderers of our kinsmen.

“Your Excellency, Farmer Governor, Umaru Bago, the murder of seven (7) innocent, unarmed individuals from Gaba community whose corpses were severely mutilated and body parts carted away by the convicted murderers is considered to be the most heinous crime that ever happend in the history of NUPE people.

“It took the intervention of community elders and well-meaning Nigerlites to stop a retaliation from Gaba youths and allow justice to run its course through the legal process. Those found guilty by court were meant to face the full weight of justice. But with the steps you were ill adviced to take today, we fear that your good name would bedraggedd in the mud.

“Your Excellency, the powers of prerogative of mercy as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is intended to serve as tool for justice and compensation in exceptional circumstances and not to be misused to undermine the sanctity of the Judiciary.

“Granting pardon to the eleven persons convicted for the offence of murder devalues the lives of the victims, disrespect their families, and erodes public confidence in the administration of state affairs through your leadership.

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“This action will earn you the reputation of being the first governor in the history of Niger State to weaponise the power of state pardon to subvert and circumvent justice. It will go down in the history of Niger State as a reference point that in your tenure as governor, you created a backdoor escape for convicted murderers and criminals.

“It will also appear laughable your stance on the criminal activities in Minna that made your government to impose cufew on the operations of motorcycles and tricycles recently.

“More worrisome is the fact that it will undermine the sanctity of the judiciary and the painstaking process by which conviction was secured. It will dampen the morale of law enforcement agencies who investigated the case. It will trample on the rights and memories of the victims and their families, encourage Nigerlites to seek alternatives to get justice, and just maybe ignite another round of loss of lives and properties.

“This ill adviced action is sending a dangerous message that weighty crimes such as taking a human life can be absolved by the process of political or executive discretion.

“We need not remind you, Your Excellency, that your most important duty is to secure the lives and property of all Nigerlites and to ensure their well-being.

“In this instance, we are afraid to state that the State failed to secure the lives of the victims and now failed to give justice to them.

“Mr. Governor Sir, we call on you to reconsider this pardon, uphold the sanctity of the judicial process, and ensure that justice is not sacrificed on the altar of political convenience or vested interest,” Baba declared in the terse statement.
(PUNCH)