The governor announced their pardon when a team of Amnesty International paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House, Bauchi on Thursday, say­ing that he never wished to punish them in the first instance for what they did against him.
According to Gov Abubakar, “It is not my wish to arrest them but I have to do that”, declaring that there is the need for people to respect their lead­ers.
“Even the Holy Quran teaches us to respect our leaders. So, I don’t see any reason why I will be stoned by my people just because I am conducting verification in my state”, he added.
He assured the visitors that that he will commu­nicate his decision to the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice for him to go to the prison and free those people to their families.
The governor pleaded with people to be patient with government in the face of the current hardship be­ing experienced as a result of recession in the country.
He, however, assured that the current hardship will soon come to pass, say­ing that government was doing everything possible to make life better for Ni­gerians.