News

Why We Can’t Release Dariye, Nyame, Others Despite Pardon –Nigerian Correctional Service

Published

2 years ago

June 26, 2022

Editor

Two months after they were granted state pardon, 159 convicts, including a former Governor of Plateau State, Senator Joshua Dariye, and a former Taraba State Governor, Jolly Nyame, have yet to be released, Sunday PUNCH has learnt.

The Council of State led by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), had on April 14 approved the pardon of the convicts, a decision which generated outcries.

Nyame is serving a 12-year jail sentence for diverting N1.64 billion during his tenure as governor of Taraba, while Dariye is serving 10 years’ imprisonment for N1.126 billion fraud.

But while justifying the clemency, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the president, Garba Shehu, had said it would have been insensitive for the President not to pardon the duo, saying that they had life-threatening illnesses.

However, checks by our correspondent on Friday revealed that the two and others granted the state pardon were still in custody.

When contacted about why the two former governors were still in their custody, the spokesperson for the Nigerian Correctional Service, Abubakar Umar, explained that the NCS was not responsible for the delay.

According to him, the duo could not be released by correctional service until a correspondence from the Ministry of Justice stating so was received.

Umar said, “Why they have not been released is because we are still waiting for correspondence from the Ministry of Justice. The moment we get that, we will effect their release. It is a presidential pardon, no doubt, but there must be a document to back their release. They can’t be released on pronouncement alone.”

Efforts to get the reaction of the ministry, through the media aide of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Umar Gwandu, were not successful. He didn’t pick up several calls to his line and had yet to respond to a text message sent to him on the matter.

Meanwhile, there is palpable anger in the Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State over the non-release of Dariye from the correctional centre.

Some kinsmens of Dariye, who served as a governor between 1999 and 2007 and hails from Mushere community in the Bokkos LGA, condemned how the Federal Government was handling his matter, describing his continued detention as strange.

PUNCH

News

Edo Govt Takes Custody Of 4-year-old Girl Used For Adult Content

Published

4 hours ago

May 14, 2024

Editor

The Edo State Government has rescued the 4-year-old girl who was used for adult content by her father.

Recall that the police arrested the father of the minor in Auchi on Sunday, May 12, 2024, after her semi nude videos and photos sparked public outrage on social media.

Some images also showed the minor in revealing clothes while in the company of her father and some men in a hotel.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Samuel Alli, confirmed the development in a post on the X platform on Monday, May 13.

“The child is now in our custody for proper medical examination and care. We will keep you updated on her welfare. Thank you all for your contributions to ensure our kids are safe and sound both in health and mind,” he wrote.

News

Aid Reveals What Peter Obi Discussed With Atiku, Saraki, Lamido During Visits

Published

7 hours ago

May 13, 2024

Editor

The reason behind the visit of 2023 presidential flagbearer of the Labour Party, LP, Peter Obi to top political figures such Atiku Abubakar, Bukola Saraki and Sule Lamido has been revealed.

Obi’s spokesperson, Dr Yunusa Tanko, said the visit was in line with the former Anambra governor’s commitment to the peace and progress of the nation.

DAILY POST reported that Obi in Abuja on Monday visited some top political figures, including former Vice President, and PDP presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, former Senate President Bukola Saraki and the former Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido.

“At the center of discussion during each of these visits was the state of the nation and how to reduce the suffering of all Nigerians irrespective of class and location,” Tanko said in the statement.

“In particular, the desperate condition of the downtrodden in our midst was highlighted.

“Of particular interest and emphasis in these discussions was the worrisome situation in the Northern parts of the country.”

News

Gov Fubara Vows To Probe Wike

Published

7 hours ago

May 13, 2024

Editor

Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara on Monday announced a plan by his administration to set up a panel to probe previous governments including the immediate past administration of Nyesom Wike.

Governor Fubara who has been in a face-off with Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, disclosed the plan after swearing in Dagogo Iboroma as the Attorney General of the state.

The governor expressed pessimism that the lingering political crisis currently rocking the state cannot be resolved anytime soon.

Apparently referring to Wike, the governor accused his opponents of deliberately sabotaging his administration while he was hopeful that the issue in the state would be resolved amicably.

Governor Fubara vowed to make tough decisions moving forward no matter how they would be perceived by the public.

Fubara also responded to recent comments by former Attorney General Zacchaeus Adangor, SAN, and his counterpart in the Ministry of Works Alabo George-Kelly.

According to the governor, the former attorney general alongside other critics of his administration have been sabotaging the progress of his government by filing nolle prosequi against the interest of the state.