From Ibrahim Ismail, Kano
Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has granted state pardon to 500 prisoners in the state, in the spirit of Eid el-Kabir.
Those who got the official reprieve were 250 prisoners from Kurmawa Central Prison, 150 from Goron Dutse and 100 from satellite prisons across the state.
Seven condemned prisoners had their sentences commuted to life
imprisonment while the rest were released because the state government
paid their respective fines and compensations even as some were free
on grounds of age and illness.
Speaking during a visit to Kurmawa Prison, Governor Ganduje explained,
“The gesture was also in line with the Federal government’s directive
on judicious decongestion of prisons across the country”.
“The Federal Government wants a crime free Nigeria and in trying to
achieve this, justice must be tampered with mercy, on the promise that
those who are pardoned would not relapse to crime”, governor stated.
He disclosed each of the released prisoners were to be given N5, 000
instantly to go back home, while 100 of them would be selected for
inclusion in the state government’s economic empowerment program.
Governor Ganduje advised the pardoned prisoners to be of good behavior
and useful members of the society by engaging in positive social and
economic ventures.
Also speaking the Minister of Interior, Gen. A. B. Dambazau (Rtd),
represented by Alhaji Ado Abdullahi Jafaru, described the occasion as
unprecedented, saying “this is the first time in Nigeria that a state
government will pardon of 500 inmates in the same state at the same
time”.
The Minister said the Federal Government deeply appreciated the
gesture, advising those who benefited from the amnesty not to abuse
the privilege by reverting to crime.
On his part, the State Controller, Nigerian Prison Service, Alhaji
Aliyu Achor who expressed appreciation to the state government for its
concern for the welfare of prisoners called for closer rapport with
the state Council on Prerogative of Mercy, to keep things working.
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