Eid al-Fitr: Ganduje Frees 200 Inmates From Various Kano Prisons

Kano State governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has secured the release of 2,517 inmates from various prisons within the four years of his first tenure in office.

The governor disclosed this during his Sallah visit to Goron-Dutse Prison in the state capital, where he again secured freedom for an additional 200 inmates.

Among this figure,  60 inmates were released from  Kurmawa Central Prison, 33 from Wudil Prison and 107 inmates from other prisons across the state.

To secure their freedom, the governor paid the sum of over N11. 5 million, being the total costs of the fines imposed on some of the prisoners.

A statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Alhaji Abba Anwar, on Wednesday, quoted the governor as saying that the release of the inmates was also part of efforts to comply with the Federal government’s initiative to help in de-congesting the prisons.

He said that their release followed all the requite judiciary process, adding that all laid down guidelines were adhered to before they were eventually freed.

According to the governor, some of the inmates were fined by courts but could not pay their fines, while others were considered for freedom on the grounds of their ill-health and old age.

“Some of the freed prisoners had life sentences hanging over their heads, and they became too weak for life itself, “ he stated.

Ganduje advised the freed men to change their behaviour so as to become productive members of the society, while enjoining them to be “good citizens so as to contribute to the socio-economic and political development of the state and the nation in general.”

The governor assured all other inmates that, in the next two months or thereabout during Eidul-Kabir Sallah celebration, he would secure the release of more inmates.

DCP Yahuza Aliyu, who spoke during the event, commended Governor Ganduje for his humanitarian posture in the last four years of his administration.

“With today’s new set of release by His Excellency, Dr Abdullahi, Umar Ganduje, we are optimistic that more and more inmates are on the edge of gaining freedom,” he stated.