According to the official, some of the pardoned inmates have spent 25 years awaiting execution.

The Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, Tuesday pardoned 12 prisoners who were on death row.

The governor also changed the death sentences of six others to life imprisonment.

The spokesperson of the Nigeria Correctional Service in Kano, Musbahu Lawan, in a statement, said the governor also pardoned four female inmates following advice from the correctional service following their "change of character".

"The governor gave N5,000 transport fare to each of the pardoned inmates", the statement said.

"The Chairman of the Prerogative of Mercy Committee, Abdullahi Garba Rano, and Controller of Corrections, Kano State Command, Sulaiman Mohd Inuwa, thanked the governor for using the power conferred on him by the constitution to release the inmates with good behaviour on the recommendation of the committee and the correctional service," the spokesperson said.

According to the official, some of the pardoned inmates have spent 25 years awaiting execution.

The spokesperson of the correctional service shared an audio interview with some of the released prisoners, one of them, an unidentified 69-year-old man, who said he had spent 23 years on death row, and is appreciative of the governor and the correctional service for his freedom.