Nasarawa gov, Abdullahi Sule pardons 36 inmates

Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule on Wednesday pardoned 36 inmates serving jail terms in the state.

Speaking on a visit to the Lafia Correctional Centre, the governor said the gesture was in fulfilment of his constitutional obligation.

He advised the inmates to desist from crime and avoid returning to the correctional centre.

He said the inmates were released not because they are innocent, but the government believed that they must have learnt their lessons for the time they stayed in jail.

“Each of you must become a preacher from here, so that you would be assimilated fully into the society so as to contribute to the peace, security and development of the society,” Sule added.

The Governor also lauded the management of Correctional Facilities for their numerous programmes aimed at rehabilitating the inmates to make them better persons.

He commended the management for enrolling some of the inmates interested in pursuing their career in education to obtain degree among others.

Responding to the request by Mr Aliyu Yahuza, Nasarawa State Comptroller of Nigeria Correctional Service, the governor promised to provide sewing machines, welding machines among others to equip the interprenuirship centres.

Earlier, Mr Abdulkarim Kana, Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, said this is the fourth time the governor was extending the gesture to inmates in the last two years.

The Commissioner further said that in order to ensure speedy administration of justice, the ministry of Justice is currently prosecuting over 1, 000 cases at various courts across the 13 Local Government Areas of the state.

The Justice Commissioner also said the ministry has commenced the implementation of the amendment Criminal Justice Law based on the approval by the governor to ensure speedy administration of justice.

He said based on the new law, the ministry and inmates who have spend long time awaiting trials as well as their counsels would agreed on alternative charges so as to get conviction for them.