In line with the interior minister’s drive to decongest prisons in Nigeria, the government has freed 399 inmates in prisons in Kaduna.
To free the inmates, the Federal Government settled ₦52m fines and compensation for the 399 inmates at various centres across Kaduna State.
Dr Ado Saleh, Comptroller of Correctional Service, Kaduna State, gave the update during the Inauguration of the initiative at Zaria on Monday.
Saleh said: “We are here to release 68 inmates from Zaria, Makarfi, Soba and Ikara Correctional Centres”.
He said that 110 inmates were earlier released at Kaduna, adding that the ceremony in Zaria was a continuation of the programme that was designed and implemented by the Federal Government.
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“In total, 399 inmates in Kaduna State were marked to be released at the cost of ₦52million.
“Of the 281 to be released across Kaduna State during the ceremony 68 inmates were from Zaria Zone,” he said.
The comptroller explained that of the 68 inmates, 43 were from Zaria, 19 from Soba, 5 from Makarfi and 19 were from Ikara Correctional Centres.
He added that each of the beneficiaries would be given ₦10,000 to cover transportation.
Earlier, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Ojo, said the initiative was to decongest the Correctional Centres by paying the fines and compensations for inmates who were owing fines or compensation of ₦1 to ₦1 million.
