Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has approved the committal of death sentence for 39 inmates to life imprisonment and also, the release of 246 inmates from various correctional facilities across the state. The Governor of Lagos State, on the recommendation of the Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy, signed the release on December 20, 2023, under the provisions of Section 212 (1) (2) of the 1999 Constitution of The Federal Republic of Nigeria (amended).
Lagos State Attorney-General for Justice and Commissioner of Justice, Lawal Pedro, who made this disclosure noted that the release of the inmates was in line with the commitment of the governor to decongest correctional facilities in the state as part of the justice sector reforms.
According to Mr. Pedro, "The Council took note of the information provided by the correctional authorities, the nature of the offense, period of incarceration, age, health and behavioral conduct of the inmates.”