Plateau State Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang has granted an absolute pardon to 130 inmates and commuted the death sentences of four others to life imprisonment as Nigeria marks its 66th Independence anniversary.
Caleb Mutfwang announced the clemency measures on Thursday in an Independence Day message to Nigerians and Plateau residents, describing the anniversary as an opportunity to reflect on the country’s journey, honour past sacrifices and renew faith in Nigeria’s future.
Also read: Nigeria at 66: Kebbi Governor urges Nigerians to keep hope
The governor’s decision was taken after consultation with the Plateau State Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy, according to the statement issued by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Gyang Bere.
The four inmates whose death sentences were reduced to life imprisonment are Zuhumnan Musa, Jeremiah Aese, Pam Lang and Thoma Danboyi.
Among those granted absolute pardon are Kamshine Gomerep, Maju Sajen, Jan Thomas, Gody Victor, Imran Maikasuwa, Biplang Emmanuel, Peace Sunday, Salisu Usman, Geoffrey John and Shwarpo Luka, alongside other beneficiaries named by the state government.
The decision gives the Independence Day celebrations a significant humanitarian dimension, extending the governor’s message of renewal beyond ceremonial remarks and into the state’s correctional system.
Mutfwang said the exercise was carried out under the constitutional prerogative of mercy available to state governors.
The 1999 Constitution provides state governors with powers relating to pardons, commutation and remission of sentences in specified circumstances, subject to the constitutional process.
The Plateau governor’s action also comes after similar exercises in other states and at federal level.
In Adamawa, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri separately pardoned nine inmates and commuted one death sentence to life imprisonment as part of the 2026 Independence Day celebrations.
The Adamawa government said the decision followed advice from its Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy and that the releases took immediate effect after the necessary formalities were completed.
The federal government also exercised presidential clemency in 2025, when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved pardons, sentence reductions and commutations following consideration by the Council of State.
Seven death sentences were among those commuted to life imprisonment.
Plateau’s latest exercise is notably larger in terms of the number of full pardons. The state government has not, in the material reviewed, provided individual reasons for each of the 130 pardons.
Mutfwang used his Independence Day message to place the clemency decision within a broader appeal for national unity and responsible citizenship.
“Independence Anniversary is a moment of pride, reflection and renewed hope for our great nation,” the governor said.
He urged Nigerians to remember the sacrifices of the country’s founding generation while recognising the continuing contribution of citizens to peace, stability and national development.
“The responsibility of nation-building has passed from one generation to another and every citizen has a role to play in building a peaceful, stable and prosperous country,” Mutfwang said.
The governor also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to creating what he described as a peaceful, secure and inclusive Plateau where residents could pursue their aspirations.
The appeal carries particular resonance in Plateau, a state that has experienced periods of communal and security-related tension over the years.
Mutfwang said Nigeria’s strength depended on citizens’ willingness to overcome differences and build a country in which people could feel a sense of belonging.
“Nigeria’s strength lies in the collective determination of its citizens to rise above differences and build a nation in which every citizen has a sense of belonging and an opportunity to fulfil his or her aspirations,” he said.
The governor also acknowledged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s efforts towards national cohesion, peace and economic development.
Mutfwang’s comments came as President Tinubu marked the anniversary with a national address in which he declared that Nigeria had moved beyond what he described as the most difficult phase of his economic reforms.
The President said his administration was shifting its attention towards jobs, production, lower living costs and wider prosperity.
Across the states, however, Independence Day messages have reflected different aspects of the country’s current challenges.
Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris, for example, used his anniversary message to highlight workers’ welfare, education, healthcare and infrastructure while urging Nigerians to maintain hope and unity.
For Mutfwang, the focus on mercy and second chances provided a particularly human element to the anniversary.
An absolute pardon is distinct from simply reducing a prison sentence. It represents the exercise of executive clemency in relation to a conviction, while commutation changes the punishment imposed without amounting to an absolute pardon.
The four death-row inmates will therefore remain in custody under life sentences rather than face execution.
The development also highlights the continuing role of state-level prerogative-of-mercy mechanisms in Nigeria’s criminal justice system.
In 2023, during Nigeria’s 63rd Independence anniversary, Mutfwang also exercised the prerogative of mercy, granting clemency to inmates and commuting some death sentences to terms of imprisonment.
The 2026 exercise is considerably broader, with 130 inmates receiving absolute pardons and four others benefiting from commutation.
The governor did not frame the measure solely as an administrative decision.
His wider message was centred on the idea that national progress depends on citizens and institutions accepting responsibility for building a more peaceful society.
He commended Plateau residents for their resilience, patience and patriotism, while urging them to maintain faith in Nigeria despite the country’s continuing difficulties.
“As Nigeria marks 66 years of independence, let us reject division and embrace unity,” Mutfwang said. “Let our diversity remain our strength as we work together to build a secure, peaceful and prosperous Nigeria.”
For the 134 inmates affected by the governor’s clemency decision, the Independence anniversary carries a more immediate meaning.
For 130 beneficiaries, the governor’s pardon offers a formal route away from their convictions.
For the four inmates whose death sentences were commuted, the decision removes the prospect of execution while leaving life imprisonment as the new punishment.
Mutfwang concluded his message by urging Nigerians at home and abroad to continue believing in the country and contributing to its development.
Also read: Nigeria at 66: Kebbi Governor urges Nigerians to keep hope
The governor’s Independence Day intervention therefore combines a symbolic national appeal with a concrete act of mercy, placing rehabilitation, second chances and the exercise of constitutional clemency alongside the broader themes of unity and national renewal.
David Okere is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering business, governance, public affairs, and human-interest stories with a commitment to accuracy, balance, and public interest reporting.
