The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has clarified that no inmate has been released under the recent exercise of the President’s prerogative of mercy, as the process is still undergoing final administrative review.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Fagbemi explained that the review phase is a standard procedure aimed at ensuring all recommendations and names comply with legal and procedural requirements before the issuance of the final instrument of release.
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He noted that the last stage of the process, following the approval by the Council of State, involves issuing the implementation instrument for each beneficiary, which is then transmitted to the Controller-General of Corrections for execution.
According to the AGF, this verification step allows for a final assessment of the list to address any necessary corrections and reinforces the government’s commitment to transparency and due process.
Fagbemi emphasized that the exercise is progressing in accordance with the law, stressing that “the rule of law does not rush; it ensures fairness.” He added that the public will be duly informed once all legal and procedural checks are completed.
