Ododo Tells Kogi Youths to Shun Crime, Pardons 101 Inmates at 66th Independence Mark
Kogi State Governor Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo has appealed to residents of the state, with particular emphasis on young people, to steer clear of kidnapping, armed robbery, fraud, theft, cultism, drug-related offences and other forms of criminality.
The governor made the appeal in a broadcast marking Nigeria's 66th Independence Day anniversary, telling youths not to let poverty, peer pressure or the lure of quick wealth drag them into crime. He maintained that honest labour, education, enterprise, integrity and perseverance continue to be the lawful routes to a meaningful and productive life.
Ododo restated his administration's determination to support security agencies and to strengthen the justice system, even as citizens' rights are protected and firm measures are taken against criminal activity. He also urged parents, traditional rulers, religious and community leaders, youth organisations and other stakeholders to partner with government in tackling crime.
"The battle against criminality is not a battle that government can win alone. It is a collective struggle for the soul and future of our communities," he said.
As part of the anniversary activities, the governor granted pardon and other forms of executive clemency to 101 inmates and convicts in the state. He explained that the decision was rooted in the constitutional prerogative of mercy and was guided by rehabilitation, remorse, humanitarian circumstances, public interest and justice.
The governor said the exercise carried particular significance because Independence Day embodies freedom, responsibility and the lasting hope that future generations can build a better society. Justice, he added, has to be tempered with compassion, and any society committed to justice must equally recognise rehabilitation and the chance of redemption for those who show genuine remorse and a willingness to return to responsible living.
Ododo said he inaugurated the Kogi State Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy on September 2, 2026, in line with the constitutional framework that governs the exercise of mercy. The seven-member council, headed by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Muizudeen Yunus Abdullahi, studied relevant case records, weighed representations made on behalf of inmates and convicts, examined correctional reports and visited correctional centres across the state, among them Koton Karfe, Kabba, Dekina, Ankpa, Idah and Okene.
The governor said the council considered factors such as age, health, the nature and circumstances of offences, the period already served, conduct in custody, remorse, rehabilitation, vocational skills acquired, family and community support, the interests of victims, public safety and the broader interests of justice.
According to him, 94 beneficiaries were granted mercy on grounds that included old age, medical conditions, good conduct, rehabilitation, remorsefulness and compassionate considerations, while seven others had their sentences remitted.
Those granted mercy on old-age and medical grounds included Lamidi Mohammed Garuba, 91; Ajagbonna Olufemi David, 72; Yakubu Atabo; Chief Umane Okeme; Saidu Atuluku Yunusa; Hilary Chike Nwaeze; Ebenezer Mopah; Abdullahi Jibril; and Usman Ismaila.
The seven whose sentences were remitted are Tunde Adura, Olusaye, Moses Abayomi, Abu Mowde, Zakariyau Baba, Michael Ojonugwa, Rami Sadiq and Salawudeen Sanusi.
Ododo stressed that the exercise did not lessen the gravity of the offences for which the beneficiaries were convicted, describing it as an act of constitutional compassion in deserving circumstances. He told the beneficiaries to treat the opportunity as a fresh responsibility and to return to their families and communities as responsible citizens.
"You have been given another opportunity, and every second opportunity comes with a greater responsibility," the governor said, urging them not to slide back into crime but to put to productive use the skills, education and lessons they acquired while incarcerated.
On the national economy, the governor commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he called the courage and vision with which the administration is pursuing national renewal. He said the Federal Government's emphasis on economic reforms, infrastructure, energy, agriculture, education, healthcare, youth empowerment and social investment was intended to tackle both immediate hardships and long-standing structural challenges.
Ododo singled out the Federal Government's recently approved deep offshore investment framework, which the Presidency says is meant to unlock as much as $50 billion in new investment and revive major deep offshore developments. He also listed interventions in education, agriculture, housing, compressed natural gas, domestic refining and other sectors as part of the Federal Government's wider development direction.
The governor said Kogi State remained aligned with the national aspiration for a stronger, more prosperous and secure Nigeria. He noted that the state's strategic position at the confluence of the Rivers Niger and Benue, combined with its agricultural, mineral and tourism resources, gave it enormous development potential.
Ododo reaffirmed his administration's commitment to investments in infrastructure, education, healthcare, agriculture, security, human capital development, rural electrification, mining, tourism and enterprise. The goal, he said, was to build a Kogi State where opportunities are within reach of citizens in all communities and where government provides the environment, infrastructure and policies needed for citizens to create wealth.
The governor also called for unity among Kogi people, regardless of political, religious, ethnic or social differences.
"Politics will come and go. Administrations will come and go. But Kogi State will remain our common home," he said.
He urged citizens to protect the state, invest in its future and give younger generations reasons to remain proud of their heritage.
As Nigeria marked 66 years of independence, Ododo called on Nigerians to renew their faith in the country and to keep working towards a stronger, more productive and prosperous nation. He congratulated President Tinubu and Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora on the anniversary, and paid tribute to the country's founding fathers, soldiers and security personnel serving to protect the nation.
The governor ended by restating his administration's commitment to good governance, security, infrastructure development, human capital development, economic empowerment and the creation of opportunities for the people of Kogi State.
"The Nigeria we desire is possible. The Kogi State we desire is possible. But possibility becomes reality only when hope is matched with action," Ododo said.
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