Journalists release 5 inmates for N75,000

Journalists in Sokoto paid N75,000 to secure release of five prison inmates, including a 20-year-old secondary school student and a food vendor. The inmates were convicted of causing hurt and belong to a gang of thieves, but were not able to pay fine options during their convictions. Their release comes as the Nigerian Union of […]

Journalists in Sokoto paid N75,000 to secure release of five prison inmates, including a 20-year-old secondary school student and a food vendor.

The inmates were convicted of causing hurt and belong to a gang of thieves, but were not able to pay fine options during their convictions.

Their release comes as the Nigerian Union of Journalists in Sokoto marked Press Week, which started last Friday with a memorial lecture in honour of Imam Imam, a journalist who last worked as a spokesman for Sokoto state governor Aminu Tambuwal.

Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists in Sokoto Isa Shuni said the inmates were those who had committed minor offences and were now remorseful.

"I am advising you to shun any act of criminality and those of you who are into business should go back to their work and those that are schooling, please go back and continue with your studies," he counselled .

He appealed to the wealthy individuals and corporate bodies to emulate the gesture, saying with N10,000 one could change the lives of many inmates.

The freed inmates however, thanked the NUJ for the gesture and promised to stay away from any kind of criminal activity.

The Chairman also gave each of the inmates N1000 for transport back home.