Justice Suleiman Dikko, Chief Judge (CJ) of Nasarawa State on Thursday discharged 16 convicted inmates from the Lafia Custodial Centre in compliance with the directive by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Tanko Mohammed.
Justice Dikko discharged the inmates during a special tour to decongest custodial facilities as part of measures to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the CJN had recently directed CJ of all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to decongest the facilities by discharging inmates.
The Nasarawa CJ explained that he had paid the fines for 16 released inmates who could not afford the payments to regain their freedom.
“We were directed by the CJN to decongest the custodial centres as part of measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the facilities.
“So, I have paid their fines ranging from N30,000 to N6,000 so as to pave way for their release,” Dikko said.
He explained that similar exercise would take place in the other four Custodial Centres in Wamba, Keffi, Nasarawa and Umasha, next week.
He, therefore, warned the released inmates to avoid acts capable of bringing them back to the facilities.
Similarly, Abdulkarim Kana, Nasarawa State Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, commended the Chief Judge for complying with the CJN’s directive.
He said that the action would further add value to the efforts of Governor Abdullahi Sule towards containing coronavirus pandemic in the state.
The Commissioner reiterated that the state government had recently released over 140 inmates to decongest the custodian centres.
He however, charged the beneficiaries to know that the situation out there was a bit different because of coronavirus and urged them to desist from committing any crime that could bring back to the facilities.
“Ordinary violation of the government’s directives on coronavirus alone could bring you back to the facilities.
“So, the situation now is not the same with what you people were used to in the past hence the need for all of you to be law abiding,” the Commissioner added.
Earlier, Emmanuel Okoro, Controller of Nigeria Correctional Service in the state, expressed gratitude to the CJ and his team for the visit.
He said that the visit would help in reducing the growth in their facilities thereby assist in the fight against the spread of COVID-19.
He therefore urged the released inmates to repent in order to be reinterpreted back to the society.
