Osun CDHR Urges Government to Prioritize Rehabilitation for Pardoned Inmates After Return to Crime

The Osun State chapter of the Committee for the Defense of Human Rights (CDHR) has called on Nigerians to put pressure on the Governor Ademola Adeleke-led administration to urgently implement rehabilitation programs for the 52 inmates he pardoned in December 2024.

This call comes after reports revealed that Sunday Omisakin, one of the 53 inmates pardoned by Governor Adeleke, returned to criminal activity and was arrested on January 3, 2025, for breaking into a building. Omisakin now faces charges of stealing and burglary, and is currently remanded at the Ilesa Correctional Service.

The incident highlights the CDHR’s concern regarding the lack of rehabilitation for pardoned inmates, which, according to the group, is crucial to prevent re-offending and ensure public safety.

CDHR Raises Alarm Over Rehabilitation Gaps

In a statement issued on Monday in Òṣogbo, the CDHR Chairman, Emmanuel Olowu, emphasized that Governor Adeleke’s release of the inmates, while part of his exercise of executive clemency, must be accompanied by effective rehabilitation. Olowu also pointed out that both the Administration of Criminal Justice Law 2015 and the Osun State Administration of Criminal Justice Law 2018 mandate such rehabilitation for pardon prisoners.

The CDHR communicated their concerns to the Governor on January 6, 2025, and copied several key stakeholders, including the Attorney General of Osun State and the Chief Judge of the State, urging them to pressure the government to act. However, as of now, there has been no response to the letter, raising fears that the failure to rehabilitate the pardoned inmates could lead to further criminal activity.

The Need for Immediate Action

Olowu stressed that the failure to address the rehabilitation of the pardoned individuals poses a risk to both public safety and the image of the Osun State Government. He pointed to the recent case of Omisakin as evidence of the urgent need for intervention.

The CDHR is now calling on all relevant stakeholders to take action, urging the state government to prioritize rehabilitation programs that can address the root causes of criminal behavior among the pardoned individuals. The group argues that without rehabilitation, public safety will continue to be compromised, and the government will fail in its responsibility to support those it pardons.