Council of State Meets, Receives Briefing on Insecurity, Dariye, Nyame, 157 Others Pardoned

The deteriorating security condition in the country was the focus of the first meeting of the National Council of State (NCS) this year, which held yesterday in Abuja, with the governors taking turns to brief the gathering on the situation in their respective states.

The meeting, presided by President Muhammadu Buhari, and attended by past Heads of State and presidents, granted state pardon to former Governors Joshua Dariye and Jolly Nyame of Plateau and Taraba states, respectively, who were serving jail terms for corruption.

The two former governors were among 159 convicts pardoned by the council at the meeting held at the Council Chambers of the State House, Abuja.
But the council rejected the application for prerogative of mercy for a former Managing Director of the defunct Bank PHB, Francis Atuche, who was convicted for stealing and jailed last year. Two other applications were also disallowed.

The security council comprises Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), the three service chiefs, Inspector General of Police, and others from the military brass.

The NCS approved a national population census for April 2023, after the general election slated for February and March 2023.

Briefing newsmen at the end of the NCS meeting, Governor Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa State disclosed that the president would meet security chiefs on Tuesday over the worsening security situation following recommendations and comments by members of the council of state.

Speaking also, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, said the council approved 159 out of 162 applications for prerogative of mercy for convicts and inmates in correctional centres across the country.

On his part, Minister of Special Duties, Senator George Akume, said the council approved the conferment of National Honours Award on 434 Nigerians, who distinguished themselves in their various field of endeavour.
The council gave approval for a national headcount to hold in April 2023 after the general election. This would be preceded by a Pilot Census to be conducted by National Population Commission (NPC) in June 2022 after political parties’ primary elections.

This was the fourth time Buhari would chair the NCS meeting in seven years, with the first held on October 21, 2015, the second on September 7, 2016, and the third held virtually in August 2020.
The National Council of State is an organ of the federal government saddled with the responsibility of advising the executive on policy-making matters.

Members of the council include the president, vice president, past presidents, Senate President, House of Representatives Speaker, Chief Justice of Nigeria, serving and past.

Others are Attorney General of the Federation, all state governors, and Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Those who attended the meeting were Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, and Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari.

Former Heads of State physically in attendance were General Yakubu Gowon, General Abdusalami Abubakar, and former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Others attended the meeting virtually from their various locations.
State governors in attendance included Hope Uzodinma (Imo), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Atiku Bagudu(Kebbi), Bello Matawalle (Zamfara), and Nasir El Rufai (Kaduna). Other governors attended virtually.