Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State has ordered the release of over four thousand prison inmates in its last eight years of leadership.
This was revealed in a statement signed and made available to newsmen during the weekend by the Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor of Kano State, Hassan Musa Fagge.
The statement revealed that no fewer than 4,013 inmates were pardoned across all correctional facilities in the state under Ganduje’s two tenures.
Fagge also disclosed that within eight years, the state government settled fines and compensations for the inmates to the tune of N4. 4 million.
The governor, who his deputy, Dr Nasiru Gawuna, represented, stated this while pardoning 43 inmates with various offences serving jail terms during the occasion to commemorate the Eid-el-Fitr celebration at the Goron Dutse custodial facility.
While stressing that freedom is everything to human life, he called on the pardoned inmates to exhibit good character wherever they find themselves in society.
On his part, the Controller of the Correctional Service in the state, Suleiman Inuwa, explained that releasing the criminals after payment of their fines and compensation would assist in decongesting the facilities and ensure a peaceful atmosphere in the yard.
He appealed to other states to emulate the gesture and also urged the beneficiaries to be good ambassadors of the Nigerian Correctional Service by being law-abiding citizens through displaying good behaviour.
Earlier in his remark, the Council Chairman on the prerogative of mercy, Abdullahi Rano, thanked the governor for exercising power conferred on him by the constitution to release the inmates on the recommendation of the correctional service management and the council.
