Tension is mounting in Gaba community, Lavun Local Government Area of Niger State, following Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago’s controversial decision to grant an unconditional pardon to eleven men convicted of murder. The men, all from the neighbouring Amfani community, also within Lavun LGA, had previously been sentenced to death by a competent court for the killing of seven young men from Gaba during a violent communal clash.
The state pardon, which has been described by some stakeholders as a judicial bombshell, was officially announced through a statement signed and circulated by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Bologi Ibrahim. The statement, which was titled “Governor Bago Grants State Pardon to 11 Convicts”, was made available to journalists earlier this week.
According to the Niger State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Nasiru Mu’azu, the pardon was granted following consultations between the governor and the State Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy. Addressing the media at the Government House in Minna, Mu’azu disclosed that the pardoned individuals were convicted in connection with the communal violence that erupted between the two communities, resulting in loss of lives and destruction of property.
He explained that the governor exercised his constitutional powers under Section 212 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which allows a state governor to grant clemency upon the advice of the Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy. He added that the gesture was aimed at fostering reconciliation and promoting lasting peace between the two historically interlinked communities.
The Attorney General also noted that the decision followed several rounds of peace meetings and conflict resolution engagements involving leaders of both communities. According to him, “The instrument of pardon was signed by His Excellency on May 28, 2025, and has since been officially gazetted.”
Those named in the pardon include Mohammed Mohammed, Nana Alhaji Sheshi, Isah Baba Nmadu, Mohammed Mohammed Ndabida, Abubakar Baba Salihu, Baba Mohammed Shaba, Adamu Mohammed Babaminin, Haruna Mohammed, Isah Mohammed, Alhaji Inuwa, Ibrahim Mohammed, and Mohammed Isah.
However, the announcement of the state pardon has sparked outrage in Gaba, with youth groups taking to the streets in protest. The atmosphere in the community has been tense, with angry residents accusing the state government of undermining the rule of law and insulting the memory of the slain victims, whose bodies were reportedly mutilated and desecrated during the conflict.
The Chairman of the Gaba Development Association, Paul Gana, confirmed that it took the urgent intervention of respected elders and other well-meaning citizens to calm the situation and prevent the protests from escalating into violence. According to him, the community feels deeply betrayed by what they perceive as an act of injustice against their people.
In an open letter addressed to Governor Bago and signed by the association’s Public Relations Officer, Isah Baba, the people of Gaba condemned the pardon, insisting that the constitutional provision for prerogative of mercy should not be used to invalidate the authority of the judiciary or to embolden criminality under the guise of peace.
“We, the people of Gaba in Lavun Local Government, are pained by the executive pardon granted to convicted murderers who brutally took the lives of seven unarmed men from our community. Their bodies were not only butchered but disrespected in the most gruesome manner. This, to us, remains one of the most horrific acts ever recorded in the history of Nupe land,” the letter read in part.
The letter further noted that the decision to pardon the convicts might set a dangerous precedent and erode public trust in the justice system. It warned that while the people of Gaba have chosen the path of peace and allowed the law to take its course, the state government’s action risks reversing that hard-won calm.
As at the time of filing this report, security operatives have been deployed to both Gaba and Amfani communities to prevent any potential outbreak of violence, while stakeholders continue to call for dialogue, transparency, and a reassessment of the pardon to prevent a resurgence of hostilities.
