N2.7Billion Fraud: SERAP Condemns Release Of Former Governors, Dariye, Nyame From Prison By Buhari Government

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N2.7Billion Fraud: SERAP Condemns Release Of Former Governors, Dariye, Nyame From Prison By Buhari Government

The release of former Governors of Plateau and Taraba states, Senator Joshua Dariye and Jolly Nyame has been condemned.

REcall the duo were released on Monday after documentation sequel to the state pardon granted to them.

Reacting, a human rights organisation, Socio-Economic Rights & Accountability Project (SERAP) asked President Muhammadu Buhari to withdraw the presidential pardon granted to the ex-governors. 

The National Council of State (NCS), led by President Muhammadu Buhari had on April 14, 2022, granted pardon to the two former governors along with 157 other convicts. 

The Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Abubakar Umar confirmed on Monday that the former prisoners were documented at 11 am and had left the prison. 

While Nyame was sentenced to 12 years in prison for diverting N1.64 billion during his tenure as governor of Taraba, Dariye was sentenced to 10 years in prison for committing N1.126 billion fraud. 

Following an outrage that followed their state pardon, the Senior Special Assistant to the president on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, had justified the clemency.  

He had argued that it would have been insensitive for the president not to pardon the duo, saying that they had life-threatening illnesses. 

But reacting to their final release from prison custody despite public condemnations, SERAP urged President Buhari to immediately withdraw the presidential pardon ensuring the release of Dariye and Nyame from jail. 

The organisation took to its Twitter handle @SERAPNigeria to make the call, saying the withdrawal of the pardon will make them serve their prison terms for the sake of justice and accountability"

"We urge President Buhari to immediately withdraw presidential pardon for Dariye and Nyame — ex-governors jailed for grand corruption, and released today — so that they can serve their prison terms, for the sake of justice and accountability," the statement said.