Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has expressed his regret for pardoning Yusuf Bako, a convicted serial rapist, during the COVID-19 lockdown in the state.
Yusuf Bako had been arrested by the police after defiling a 4-year-old girl in a mosque in Bauchi.
Bako was among several others who were granted a state pardon by the government during the pandemic lockdown.
The Governor who spoke during an advocacy visit to his office by the state’s Action Committee on Sexual and Gender Based Violence, led by his wife, Hajiya Aisha Mohammed, in his words said;
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“Gender-based violence has become a pandemic and in Bauchi, unfortunately, I understand through the Ministry of Justice, that we pardoned a serial rapist.
“We must apologise to the women for doing this. It is not our wish to do that. Had it been that I was aware, he would have served his full jail term. I didn’t know, I wouldn’t have appended my signature.”
He however warned that his administration would not take it lightly and spare anyone involved in gender based violence and sexual offences in the state.
He vowed to make anyone involved in the above offenses face the full wrath of law so as to serve as deterrent to others.
