Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State has effected the release of 136 inmates from Kano custodial centres as part of the Eid-el-Kabir celebration.
Ganduje, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Abba Anwar, announced the pardon to the inmates on Tuesday when he visited Goron Dutse Medium Custodial Centre.
The governor said: “In your position as Nigerians who deserve to be taken care of, we are here today, Sallah Day, to celebrate with you this great Sallah period, by way of releasing some of you who are pardoned.
“We are here to also see how you are feeling and to share our joyous moment with you.
“We want those of you who repented to promise not to go back to their previous nefarious acts,” he admonished.
He also urged the freed inmates to be of good conduct when they are finally being integrated into society.
Stating the motives behind their release, Ganduje said: “Some of you are released because of ill-health, some stayed longer than necessary and some were incarcerated because they were not able to pay charges placed on them.”
He, however, maintained that the pardoning exercise was in compliance with President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive to decongest custodial centres across the country.
In his remarks, the Controller in charge of correctional centres in Kano, Sulaiman T. Sulaiman, commended the governor for being humane while relating with inmates in the state.
After releasing them, each of the inmates was given a sum of N5,000 as transport fare back to their respective destinations.
