Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has granted amnesty to 36 inmates serving various sentences across the state’s correctional facilities as part of activities marking Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary.
The governor, in a proclamation dated September 24, 2025, exercised the constitutional powers vested in him under Section 212 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), describing the gesture as an act of compassion and renewal.
According to a statement signed on Wednesday by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, the decision followed the recommendations of the State Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy.
“Now Know Ye That, Senator (Dr.) Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke, the Governor of Osun State of Nigeria, in exercise of the powers conferred upon me by Paragraph (a) Subsection (1) of Section 212 of the Constitution, and acting in accordance with the Advisory Council of State, am graciously pleased to extend my mercy to the said thirty-six (36) convicts,” the governor declared in the proclamation.
He added: “By this act, I remit and release unto them all pains, penalties, and punishments whatsoever that may have accrued from their convictions, and I hereby require all to whom it may concern to take due notice thereof.”
The convicts, drawn from Ilesa and Ile-Ife correctional centres, were said to have been jailed mostly for minor offences such as stealing and conspiracy.
Officials disclosed that the beneficiaries had already served substantial parts of their sentences and were considered fit for reintegration into society.
A breakdown showed that 29 inmates were released from the Ilesa facility, including Kehinde Ganiyu, Isiaka Mohammed, Oluwatosin Femi, Adebisi Adeniyi, Rotimi Paul, and Oyewole Sunday. Another seven, among them Yusuf Ola, Oyedeji Sunday, and Ojo Olaoluwa, regained their freedom from the Ile-Ife centre.
Governor Adeleke explained that the move symbolises Nigeria’s independence values of freedom and renewal.
“This decision reflects the spirit of compassion, justice, and renewal which Nigeria’s Independence Day represents. As a government of the people, we remain committed to upholding justice while extending mercy to deserving citizens.
This amnesty is not only a gesture of freedom but also a call for true rehabilitation, reintegration, and a fresh start for these individuals,” Adeleke said.
The governor further charged the freed inmates to embrace reform and reintegration, stressing that the state would continue to promote justice while providing opportunities for rehabilitation.
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