As part of measures to decongest prison and curb likely spread of coronavirus among inmates, the Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal has pardoned 17 inmates in the Sokoto Central Custodial center.
He explained that the move had become imperative as part of his administration’s commitment to reform convicts who had maintained clean records while serving their time and aimed at giving them another shot at life after experiencing life without freedom.
The Governor noted that the gesture was part of the government’s cardinal move as contained in its committee on prerogative of mercy protocols.
Through a statement released on Tuesday by his Special Adviser on Media And Public Affairs, Muhammad Bello, Tambuwal revealed that three inmates out of the 17 were serving terms for federal offences while others were held for state offences.
According to him, the state Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, Suleiman Usman, facilitated the processes.
“The pardon takes cognisance of the executive powers vested in the governor to offer mercy to inmates by the 1999 Constitution as amended. The gesture is also aimed at enabling the ex-prisoners to reunite with their family members and become decent citizens.
”It was also intended to decongest the prison and protect the inmates from being affected by the COVID 19 pandemic. This exercise is carried out on a routine basis to deserving inmates in order to offer mercy to them,” the statement said.
The Governor enjoined the pardoned inmates to shun vices and engage in viable ventures that would uplift their living standards
with the N50,000 cash assistance by the government, and that the cash was to enable them to set up useful ventures as they start a new life out of prison.
