After nearly four months of being left in jail following a presidential pardon, former Governors Joshua Dariye (Plateau State) and Jolly Nyame (Taraba State) finally breathe the air of freedom on Monday.
Their freedom comes a month after the Kuje Custodial Centre where they were serving their jail term came under attack and over 800 prisoners were set free by dare-devil terrorists, who came to free 63 of the comrades.
Dariye, 64, former governor for eight years between 1999 and 2007, was jailed for 10 years for corruption during his time as governor; while Nyame, also jailed for corruption for 12 years, served as governor within the same period.
The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command though its Public Relations Officer, FCT command, Mr Chukwuedo Humphrey told journalists in Abuja that the letter of their release was sent to the command by the Presidential Prerogative of Mercy Committee on Monday.
According to him, the two former governors were pardoned on ill health and age grounds and were released immediately, but did not disclose the names of the three others
“We have no right to hold them further as soon as we have the letter of clemency from the presidency.
“If we do, it will be against their fundamental human rights.
“They have left the facility today. We got the warrant of release today and have done the needful.
“Dariye and Nyame were in Kuje custodial centre while the three others were in Suleja custodial centre.”
Both men were among the 159 prisoners pardoned by the Council of State during a meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja on April 14.
