State pardon of 11 convicted murderers by Gov Bago is an affront to rule of law- Gaba community fires

By Daniel Ebi, Minna 

Gaba community leaders in Lavun local government area of Niger State have expressed disgust at the unconditional State Pardon Governor Mohammed Umar Bago granted 11 convicted persons sentenced to death for their role in the death of 7 indigenous in a culpable homicide trial.

In an open letter to the Governor signed by Isah Baba the public Relations officer of Gaba Development Association and made available to the media, he urged the Governor to immediately revoke the pardon. 

“We, the people of Gaba in Lavun Local Government, have decided to use this medium to air out 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 happened in the history of NUPE people”

The Statement noted that 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. 

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“Those found guilty by court were meant to face the full weight of justice. But with the steps you were ill advised to take today, we fear that your good name would bedraggedd in the mud”

The Community  reminded the Governor  that, the powers of prerogative of mercy enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is intended to serve as a 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.

“This action will earn you the reputation of being the first Governor in the history of Niger State to weaponize 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.

According to  them, it will also appear laughable that his  stance on the criminal activities in Minna that made the government impose curfew 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, 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.”

They noted that the  ill-advised 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.

” Need not to 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.”

The Gaba Community Development Association  called on the  Governor to reconsider the pardon, uphold the sanctity of the judicial process, and ensure that justice is not sacrificed on the altar of political convenience or vested interest.