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By Correspondent in Minna.
The people of Gaba community in Lavun Local Government Area of Niger State have condemned the decision of Governor Mohammed Umar Bago to grant state pardon to 11 individuals sentenced to death for their roles in the 2018 killing of seven unarmed farmers.
Our correspondent recalls that the convicts, all from neighboring Anfani village, were found guilty of conspiracy and culpable homicide by Justice Maimuna A. Abubakar of the Niger State High Court, who in a 779-page judgment delivered on February 2, 2022, sentenced them to death by hanging.
However, the state government, through the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Nasiru Muhammad Mu’azu, announced at a press briefing that Governor Bago had, on May 28, 2025, signed the instrument of pardon in line with Section 212(2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
The pardon was said to have followed pleas by the convicts and a review by the State Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy.
The decision has sparked strong reactions in Gaba. Mr. Paul Gana, Chairman of the Gaba Development Association, speaking to journalists in Minna over the weekend, warned that the release of the convicts could rekindle tensions between Gaba and Anfani communities.
“This decision is a grave injustice to the families of the victims. “Granting state pardon to individuals convicted of a crime as heinous as murder sends a dangerous message that violence has no consequence,”Gana said.
According to Gana, the convicted individuals attacked Gaba farmers on their farmland in 2018 without provocation, killing seven and injuring two others. He wondered why the state government is ignoring the pain of the victims’ families and compromising justice.
“If they are allowed to go free, it could embolden others who may believe they can kill and escape justice. “Their release reflects insensitivity and bias on the part of the government,”he added.
Gana urged the state government to rescind the pardon and allow the court’s verdict to stand, stressing that justice must be served to prevent further breakdown of law and order in the area.
Our correspondent further reports that despite mounting criticism, the state government has not released further details on the mediation process that allegedly preceded the pardon as at the time of this report.
The Commissioner for Justice declined to comment on whether reconciliation has truly been achieved between the feuding communities.
The 11 pardoned convicts are: Mohammed Isah, Mohammed Mohammed, Ibrahim Mohammed, Nana Alhaji Sheshi, Isah Baba Nmadu, Mohammed Mohammed Ndabida, Abubakar Baba Salihu, Baba Mohammed Shaba, Adamu Mohammed Babaminin, Haruna Mohammed, and Isah Mohammed Alhaji Inuwa.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
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