Coalition of Free Dariye Groups has appealed to Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State to step into the matter and interface with relevant authorities over the continued detention of the state’s illustrious sons, Sen. Joshua Dariye, three months after he was granted presidential pardon.

The groups believe that the governor’s prompt intervention will also dispel insinuations surrounding Dariye’s continued incarceration and probably unravel why he is still being kept.

Convener of the Coalition, Mrs. Rhoda Sanda, made the appeal, yesterday, while addressing journalists in Jos. Sanda stressed that, as a father, Lalong’s urgent intervention was needed, adding that he could not afford to ignore the clarion call or sit on the fence.

“The concerned people of Plateau want to know the reason behind the hesitancy of the Ministry of Justice in issuing his release warrant to the Ministry of Interior and the National Correctional Service (NCoS).

“We are also making passionate appeal to the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami (SAN), to do the needful and transmit the warrant to the agencies responsible for the release of the former Governor of Plateau, Joshua Dariye, without any further delay,” she said.

The convener added that “the groups are appalled and disturbed” that all the necessary authorities concerned to effect his release from prison were still dragging their feet over the matter, despite his state of health.

According to her, Dariye’s continued incarceration, despite the pardon granted him by the Nigerian Council of State (NCS) three months ago on health ground, has become a matter of grave concern.

Dariye’s pardon was necessitated by his health, so that he can go home to take proper care of himself, she noted.

“Based on this, the general expectation is that the AGF and other relevant authorities will act with dispatch to effect the presidential pardon. But to our surprise, nothing has been done, three months after the pardon,” she contended.