In celebration of this year’s Eid-el-Fitr, Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State has granted freedom to 294 inmates of correctional centres in the State.
A statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Abba Anwar, on Sunday, said the governor witnessed the release of the inmates from the correctional centre at Goron Dutse.
He quoted the governor as saying that the gesture was in the spirit of Eid-El Fitr.
He said further: “The governor also said that the gesture was to complement the Federal Government’s efforts to further reduce congestion in the nation’s correctional centres.
“Ganduje also recalled that President Muhammadu BuharI had directed governors to decongest correctional centres to help observe COVID-19’s social distancing protocol.
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“It is based on that directive that in the last two months the state has released 603 inmates. The goal is to decongest Correctional Centres. We hope that they will be of good character henceforth.”
According to Anwar, the governor also gave the sum of N5, 000 to each of the freed inmates as transport fare to their destinations.
The Comptroller of Prisons, Abdullahi Magaji, in his comments advised the released inmates to be of good character and stay off crimes to avoid going back to prison.
He also commended Gov. Ganduje for donating 30 hectares of land to the Federal Government for the construction of a modern Correctional Centre.
Ganduje was accompanied to the centre by his deputy, Nasiru Gawuna, and the Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero.