Sokoto State Government Pardons 9 Inmates

The Sokoto State Government pardoned nine inmates of the Sokoto Central Prison and a dethroned monarch yesterday (Wednesday).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the inmates were released at a ceremony presided over by the Commissioner for Justice, Nuhu Adamu, on behalf of Gov. Aliyu Wamakko.

Nuhu said that the gesture was in line with the powers conferred on Wamakko by Section 212 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

According to him, seven of the freed inmates were convicted, while two others were on awaiting trial list, he further said four of the freed convicted inmates were females, three of whom each had a child aged between one and two years.

Nuhu also said each of the seven released convicted inmates were given N30,000 each courtesy of the state government.

This action is part of the efforts of the state government to further decongest the prison. It is has always been done during ceremonies like Sallah and Nigeria’s independence anniversary.

This is a Holy Month of Ramadan and the state government has decided to extend the same gesture to commemorate the Eid-el-Fitri (Sallah), Nuhu said.

Nuhu said that the 10th beneficiary of the gesture was Suleiman Kurdulla, the former Village Head of Kurdulla in Gudu Local Government Area of the state.

He explained that "he was dethroned by the state government in 2005 and he petitioned the present administration, which had a second look at his case.

The state committee on the prerogative of mercy recommended his unconditional pardon after  concluding  that his petition had merits and Gov. Wamakko approved of it he said.

The Controller of Prisons, Hajiya Hawwa’u Shettima, commended the state government for donating two 18-seater buses to the prison.

We have to also commend the state government for establishing a Ramadan feeding centre at the prison during the outgoing Ramadan fast.

Shettima also said ''this laudable gesture will go a long way to further decongest the prison. As at now, over 70 per cent of the inmates in the prison are awaiting trial''.

Shettima also cautioned the pardoned inmates to shun all acts capable of bringing them back to the prison.

A spokesman of the released inmates, Habibu Usman, commended the state government for the gesture and promised to be of good behaviour.

- NAN