Prison Experience Humbled Me, Says Former Taraba Governor Nyame

A former governor of Taraba State, Jolly Nyame, has said he learnt from his over three years’ incarceration that the country’s justice system works differently for people according to their social status.

Nyame, who was jailed for fraud, was granted state pardon on the grounds of age and ill health by President Muhammadu Buhari.

He was convicted in 2018 and sentenced to 14 years imprisonment for diverting public funds to the tune of N1.64 billion.

But his sentence was later reduced to 12 years in 2020, following a ruling by the Supreme Court, which affirmed the judgment of the Court of Appeal on the matter.

In August, Nyame was released from the correctional facility in Kuje, Abuja.

Speaking to reporters in Jalingo, Taraba State, on the occasion of his 67th birthday anniversary, Nyame said, “I learnt a lot during my prison term and I realised that in this country, there are two kinds of justice: one for the advantaged citizens and the other for the disadvantaged Nigerians. My hope is that after 2023, things will change for better.”

He, however, said he would forever remain grateful to President Buhari for granting him pardon.

“As a beneficiary of President Buhari’s good gesture, I will never disobey or disappoint the president in whatever I do,” he said.