The Federal Ministry of Interior has secured the release of 43 inmates serving jail terms in custodial centres in Plateau.
This is contained in a statement issued on Monday in Jos by ASC Godfrey Longdiem, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Plateau Command of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS).
Longdiem quoted the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji- Ojo, as saying that the gesture was in line with the ”Renewed Hope” agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
The PRO added that the exercise also aimed at decongesting all prisons across the nation.
”The Federal Government through the the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji- Ojo, has secured the release of 43 inmates serving various jail terms across the state.
”This is done through the payment of fines and compensations.
”The exercise is in line with and in fulfillment of President Bola Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda of touching and making the lives of indigent Nigerians better via various initiatives and intervention programmes.
”This initiative is aimed at decongesting custodial centres/facilities across the country,”he said.
Longdiem said that the Controller General of NCoS, Haliru Nababa, who was represented by its Controller in Plateau, Jimoh Ibinuhi, conducted the exercise.
He said that the Controller General thanked the federal government for the intervention, and commended the interior minister for prioritising the welfare of inmates.
The NCoS spokesman added that the Controller General, however, advised the beneficiaries to shun crime and be law abiding.
He also advised them to put into good use some of the skills and reformatory activities they learnt while in incarceration.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that freed inmates were given N10,000 each as transport fare to their various destinations.
