Osun Govt Denies Report Claiming Adeleke Granted Clemency To Murderer
The Osun State Government has dismissed as false a viral report claiming that Governor Ademola Adeleke granted clemency to a convicted murderer, describing the publication as fake news intended to tarnish the governor’s image.
A statement issued on Saturday by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, faulted an online report titled “Osun: Adeleke Pardons Suspected Murderer Who Confessed to Slitting Friend’s Throat for Money Ritual”, published by Insight Links.
Alimi described the report as “fake, jaundiced, and misleading,” insisting that Governor Adeleke did not pardon any murderer. He explained that the governor’s decision to release 36 inmates from the Ilesa and Ile-Ife correctional centres was part of activities marking Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary and followed due process.
According to him, the recommendation for clemency came through a letter referenced OSCHQ.1C/VOL.XIV/393, dated 25th September 2025, from the Controller of Corrections, Osun State Command, to the Attorney General of the state through the Director of Public Prosecution.
Alimi clarified that none of the names on the list was serving a murder sentence, adding that the inmate in question, Kehinde Ganiyu, was convicted for stealing, not murder.
He said, “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 a 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?
“Governor Adeleke, with all sense of responsibility, acted in good faith in his capacity as Chief Executive of Osun State and in line with the occasional show of clemency expected of his position, especially on the occasion of Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary,” he said.
The Commissioner urged members of the public to disregard the report, describing it as a hatchet job aimed at discrediting the governor.
He also advised Insight Links and other media outlets to verify their information before publication to avoid misrepresenting facts that could lead to litigation.
“Finally, we are 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,” Alimi concluded.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
