Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State has ordered the release of 136 inmates from the state custodial centre as part of efforts to decongest the facility.
The governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Abba Anwar, gave the order when he visited the Gorondutse Medium Custodial Centre, as part of his Sallah visits on Tuesday.
“In your position as Nigerians who deserve to be taken care of, we are here on this Sallah day to celebrate with you 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 your previous nefarious acts.
“Some of you are released because of ill-health, some have stayed longer than necessary and some incarcerated because they are not able to pay charges placed on them,” Ganduje said in the statement.
He said the decision to pardon them was in compliance with the President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive to decongest custodial centres across the country.
The Controller of the Kano Custodial Centre, Sulaiman T. Sulaiman, commended the governor for the gesture
Each of the inmates was given N5,000 to transport themselves to their home towns.