As part of activities commemorating Nigeria’s 2025 Democracy Day, the Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has granted executive clemency to a total of 66 inmates incarcerated at the Maiduguri Maximum Custodial Centre.
The governor announced the gesture during an official visit to the correctional facility on Wednesday. The visit was part of a series of engagements aimed at highlighting the significance of democratic governance, justice, and human dignity in the state and the nation at large.
Governor Zulum revealed that the decision to release and grant partial pardons to the inmates was made after careful consideration of recommendations submitted by the Borno State Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy.
In addition to the pardons, he approved the commutation of several death sentences to life imprisonment and ordered a reduction in jail terms for other deserving inmates, depending on the nature of their convictions and demonstrated conduct.
In his address to correctional officials and beneficiaries of the clemency, Governor Zulum stated: “Based on the powers conferred on me under Section 212 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), and acting upon the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, I hereby grant state and partial pardons to 66 inmates of the Maximum Custodial Centre.”
He emphasized that the clemency was not only an exercise of constitutional authority but also a reflection of the state government’s commitment to restorative justice, rehabilitation, and second chances. The governor assured the inmates that the state would continue to support efforts aimed at reintegrating reformed individuals into society.
Governor Zulum further encouraged the beneficiaries of the pardon to see their release as an opportunity to turn their lives around, urging them to embrace lawful and productive paths in their communities.
The gesture has been widely interpreted as a strong message in support of justice reform, rehabilitation, and the upholding of human dignity under the rule of law—principles at the heart of democratic governance.
