The Federal Government has freed 178 inmates from various custodial centres in Jigawa through the Ministry of Interior.
Spokesman of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) in Jigawa, Mr Muhammad Sani, made this known in a statement he issued in Dutse on Thursday.
He stated that the NCoS Controller in Jigawa, Mr Muazu Garba-Charanchi, freed the inmates on behalf of the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.
“In its efforts to decongest custodial centres nationwide, the Federal Ministry of Interior, in partnership with philanthropists, groups and corporate bodies secured the release of 178 inmates in Jigawa.
“Kicking-off the exercise at the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Hadejia, Garba-Charanchi, appreciated the effort of the minister.
“He also commended donors and the Controller-General of Corrections, Mr Haliru Nababa, for the laudable and kind gesture,’’ Sani stated.
He added that Garba-Charanchi had been lamenting that congestion in custodial centres in Jigawa had deterred efforts of the NCoS in reformation and rehabilitation programmes.
He stated also that Garba-Charanchi charged the released inmates to be of good behaviour and be good ambassadors of peace and security.
Garba-Charanchi advised the remaining inmates to be calm and be peaceful to facilitate their reformation and to gain government’s sympathy, Sani added.
He stated that 60 inmates were released from the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Hadejia and 23 from Medium Security Custodial Centre in Gumel.
Twenty-two inmates were released from Birnin-Kudu Farm Centre; 16 from Satellite Custodial Centre in Babura; and 13 from Medium Security Custodial Centre in Dutse.
Eight inmates were released from the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Kazaure; eight from Satellite Custodial Facility in Ringim; seven from Satellite Custodial Facility in Jahun and six from Satellite Custodial Facility in Kiyawa.
Six inmates were released from the Satellite Composite Custodial Centre in Birnin-Kudu; five from Satellite Custodial Facility in Gwaram and four from Satellite Custodial Facility in Garki, Sani stated.
A freed inmate that reacted on behalf of beneficiaries, Mr Umar Sanda, thanked the Federal Government and the NCoS for finding them worthy to be released on fines paid in spite of the crimes they committed.
He also expressed appreciation that government and its partners gave the freed inmates some stipends.
Sanda assured that released inmates would put skills acquired at the centres to practice to become self-reliant and to shun crime.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that stipends were paid to the freed inmates to assist them to return to their respective homes.
