No fewer than 37 inmates have regained their freedom from the Kuje Medium Custodial Centre and Suleja Centre following payments of their fines.
PLATFORM TIMES gathered that the inmates were fined from N15,000 to N130,000 but couid not pay which had made them remained in the center .
It was further gathered that the fines for 37 inmates who were remanded for minor issues were paid by public spirited persons in conjunction with Prisoners Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA).
The Comptroller of Correctional Service for the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Command, Ibrahim Idris disclosed this on Friday .
Idris who handed over five of the released inmates to officials of the PRAWA, said all the conditions for their freedom had been met.
While briefing newsmen, Comptroller Idris said the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola should be commended for initiating the process leading to their release at the recent National Conference on Prisons Decongestion which was attended by Judges across the country, including the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Olukayode Ariwoola.
Idris said a total of 37 inmates had their fines paid for them, noting that some of them were jailed for minor offences, with options of fine but were unable to raise money to pay the fines.
“We are releasing five from here today (Kuje), four others are having their documents being processed. And they would be released immediately. So far 37 are regaining their freedom from Kuje and Suleja centres.
“The Chief Judges of the FCT and Niger states have been here, and they are instrumental to the gesture which is aimed at decongestion of our facilities ,” Idris said.
Speaking on behalf of PRAWA, its Deputy Director, Ogechi Ogu said the inmates should be assisted in the areas of rehabilitation by public spirited persons to enable them integrate into the community and eke out a decent living for themselves.
She explained that PRAWA is championing decongestion of prisons in Nigeria because of the huge sums of tax payers money the governments commit to their feeding every year, and appealed against stigmatisation of inmates by the society.
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