No fewer than 32 inmates from the Sokoto Correctional Centre with different offences regained freedom on Wednesday.
The freed inmates were charged to be of good conduct and acceptable societal character.
The inmates were pardoned under the state government’s Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy.
Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice in the state, Suleiman Usman(SAN), announced on behalf of Governor Aminu Tambuwal.
Usman who was at the Correctional Centre where he made the disclosure said: “The pardon was at the instance of the state governor, who is empowered executive powers vested on him by Section 212 of the 1999 Constitution as amended, to offer mercy to inmates.”
Explaining further, the Commissioner said the gesture was to enable ex-inmates to reunite with their family members and become decent citizens of the society where they can legitimately earn their living and contribute to the development of the state and country.
“It is also a measure intended to decongest the centre and protect the inmates from being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic”, he added.
Usman, who had served as the Chairman, Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy, called on the freed prisoners to shun vices and engage in viable ventures that would uplift their living standards.
“Avoid anything that will break the law and order in the state and the country in general.”
The commissioner later presented the sum of N50,000 cash to each of the pardoned inmates on behalf of the state government.
“This gesture is to enable you to set up some useful ventures while starting a new life out of the centre with your loved ones and other members of the society.”
In his remark, the state Deputy Controller (Operations) of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Lawali Idris while appreciating the efforts of the state government, lauded its gesture for granting freedom to such a number of prisoners and providing the inmates with a startup capital for small ventures.
“We are grateful to you for the continued support to the centre”, he expressed.