Osun State Government has debunked as fake, jaundiced, misleading and unfounded a report that a murder suspect was a among the 36 prisoners granted pardon by Governor Ademola Adeleke at Nigeria’s 65th independence anniversary.
In a statement signed by the commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment. Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, the government said:
“The attention of Osun state Government has been drawn to a recent misleading online media report whimsically titled *Osun: Adeleke pardons suspected murderer who confessed to slitting friend’s throat for money ritual*.
“The said speculative online report was not only fake, jaundiced and misleading but totally out of place with the existing reality, as it can also be at best be ascribed to a grandiose mischief to paint the person and government of Senator Ademola Adeleke in bad light.
“It would be recalled that, few days ago, Osun State Governor, Governor Ademola Adeleke, as part of activities to mark the 65th Independence Anniversary of Nigeria, granted pardon to 36 convicts serving various jail terms in both Ilesha and Ife Correctional facilities in Osun State.
“The action taken by Mr Governor in this regard in line with his official position as the Chief Security Officer of Osun State, was sequel to a letter referenced OSCHQ.1C/,VOL.XIV/393, dated 25th Sept. 2025 which was addressed to the Attorney General of Osun State through the Director of Public Prosecution, Ministry of Justice titled *Recommended list of convicted inmates with offences * in both Ilesa and Ile Ife Custodial Centres for amnesty consideration.*
“The said recommended list of convicted inmates signed by Mr Inyang C.N, an Assistant Superintendent of Corrections on behalf of Controller of Corrections, Osun State Command, did not, in any way or manner, state that, of the 36 convicts granted amnesty, one of them, a herbalist, Kehinde Ganiyu was facing a murder charge.”
Alimi, described the purported story linking the Governor to the granting of a state pardon to a murderer as journalistically avaricious and misleading to the innocent members of the public.
He queried, “How on earth could Governor Ademola Adeleke who is in tune with the yearnings and good expectations of the public have gone the whole hog in granting a pardon to condemned criminal of Kehinde Ganiyu’s standing, if it had been poignantly stated in the said letter that the released person was a condemned criminal?”
Alimi stated further that, “Kehinde Ganiyu who was among the prisoners granted pardon was convicted of stealing and not murder as contained in the list compiled by the correctional Centres.
“Governor Ademola, with all sense of responsibility, in his official capacity as the Chief Executive of Osun State, in this situation, acted in good faith in line with the occasional show of clemency expected of his position and office, more so at such an occasion that coincided with the 65th Anniversary of Nigeria’s Independence.
“We are, therefore, using this medium to appeal for calm, restraint and understanding, particularly on the part of members of the public in Osun State by dismissing such an online news report as a hatchet job calculated at painting the person and office of His Excellency, Senator Ademola Adeleke, the Executive Governor of Osun State in bad light.
“We implore Insight links, the purveyor of the said misleading and fake news to always go extra mile in verifying the authenticity or otherwise of any given story or situation, to avoid a misrepresentation of fact, which could become a subject of serious litigation by the wrongly accused party in the matter .
“Finally, we are similarly using this medium to, also advise Insight links online media, and other people with similar notions, if still not convinced about the action taken by His Excellency, Senator Ademola Adeleke, to go to both Ilesa and Ile Ife Correctional Centres for further verification.”
