The Kano State Governor, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, has facilitated the release of 170 prison inmates from Goron Dutse and other prisons across the state.
Ganduje, who witnessed the release of the inmates from Goron Dutse Prisons on Tuesday, said the gesture was in the spirit of Eid-El-Kabir, adding that it was to complement the Federal Government’s efforts to further decongest the nation’s prisons.
The governor, who gave each of the freed prison inmates N5,000, as transport fare to their respective homes, advised them to change their attitude to life and to pray for the peace and stability of Nigeria.
While pardoning the inmates, Ganduje charged them to be of good behaviour, and to also use their new-found freedom not only to become useful to themselves but also to the society at large.
“President Muhammadu Buhari has directed all governors in the country to do everything possible to decongest the prisons.
“What we have done today is in compliance to the directive of the President. We care about you and your welfare.
“There is no better time to show you how much we care about you than this day, on this Sallah day. We want you to become good citizens as you go back into the society.
“You must shun crimes and discourage others from it. We hope you would become better persons, contributing to the development of the state positively,” Ganduje said.
Since the inception of his administration, the governor had granted freedom to no fewer than 2,000 inmates.
The inmates who could not conceal their joy, thanked the governor and promised to be good ambassadors of their families and the nation.
In his remarks, the Controller of Prisons in Kano State, Abdullahi Magaji, thanked the governor and advised the ex-inmates to keep away from crime to avoid going back to jail.