Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River has granted a state pardon and freed up to 34 prisoners serving various jail terms at the Calabar prison to mark the 50th anniversary of the state.
Ayade in his anniversary speech on Saturdayin Calabar said that the pardon was in the spirit of the celebration and based on the provision of section 212 of the 1999 Constitution.
He said: “In the spirit of the celebration and the powers vested on me by the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, I hereby grant clemency to the following category of people serving various jail terms in the state.
“They are five people on death row; 16 prisoners serving life sentences; four prisoners who are above 60 years of age; nine convicted criminals who are terminally ill and may likely die any moment if not granted pardon.’’
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