Council of State approves 434 nominees for national awards, pardons 159 prisoners

The Council of State at its meeting at the State House, Abuja, on Thursday chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari, approved 434 Nigerians nominated for national honouring awards for distinguished themselves in various fields of life by the federal government. The Council in its resolutions also approved clemency and pardon for 159 offenders who have committed various offences against the Nigerian state.

The Council, however, turned down a request for state pardon for a former Managing Director of Bank PHB, Francis Atuche, who is serving 12 years jail term for looting over N12 billion from the bank.

The council further endorsed the conduct of national population and housing census after the 2023 general elections.

Two former military heads of State, Abdulsalam Abubakar and Yakubu Gowon, including former President Goodluck Jonathan and some governors, were in attendance.