Bauchi governor”s wife secures release of 52 prison inmates

Wife of Bauchi State Governor, Aisha Abubakar, has secured the release of 52 inmates From various prisons across the state. The inmates were serving various jail terms at Zaki, Tafawa Balewa, Nabardo, Alkaleri, Ningi, Misau, Katagum, Jama’are and Bauchi prisons. She secured their release by paying various sums as fines ro enable them regain their […]

Wife of Bauchi State Governor, Aisha Abubakar, has secured the release of 52 inmates From various prisons across the state.

The inmates were serving various jail terms at Zaki, Tafawa Balewa, Nabardo, Alkaleri, Ningi, Misau, Katagum, Jama’are and Bauchi prisons.

She secured their release by paying various sums as fines ro enable them regain their freedom.

Speaking during the release of the prisoners at the Bauchi central prison Monday, the governor’s wife explained that 50 out of the released inmates were those with minor offences.

She said that there was also a special appeal from the state Controller of Nigerian Prison Service in respect of an inmate Adamu Kolo who was released because of his ill-health.

A female inmate, Zainab Musa was also considered and released for being the only female prisoner in detention.

She said that N120,000 and N47,000 were paid as fines for Adamu Kolo and Zainab Musa respectively to secure their freedom.  

‘’We all know that our prisons are highly congested, the school and the vocational facilities put in place in the prison have been over stretched and cannot cater for the number of inmates. This therefore, defeat the aims of reforming the inmates during their stay in prison,” she said.

Abubakar also donated the  N5,000 to each of the freed inmates adding that they would be trained on various skills in order to transform their lives and reintegrate into the society and be provided with equipment to set up their own businesses and occupations after the training.

“Let me emphasize that conditions are attached to those that their fines have been settled. The conditions include having a guarantor who will make sure that they fulfil other conditions.

"The released inmates will have to go through a vocational training as listed in the released conditions. And this will be monitored by my team working closely with the guarantors,” she pointed out.

In his welcome address, Controller of Prisons, Bauchi state Command, Suleiman Tsadu Suleiman commended the governor’s wife for the gesture.

He urged the freed prisoners to conduct themselves responsibly and avoid committing crimes that would bring them back to jail.

“I will like to use this opportunity to call on other well meaning individuals, philanthropists, NGOs and other Corporate Organizations to emulate Her Excellency, Barrister Aisha M.A Abubakar by assisting prison inmates with skills acquisition materials and other basic support for the overall interest of the society.”