TheCable

As part of its effort to decongest its prisons, the Kaduna State Government has pardoned and released 212 awaiting-trial inmates between January and April.

Mr. Dari Bayero, Secretary of the Committee on Decongestion of Prisons in Kaduna State, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna.

According to Bayero, 112 of the inmates were discharged after close to 12 years in prison custody without prosecution, in an exercise carried out in 12 prisons across the state.

“Sixty-one inmates were freed from the Kaduna Central Prison, while 44 other awaiting trial inmates were released from the Zaria Prison,” he said.

“Seventeen inmates were released from the Soba Prison, 20 from Ikara Prison,  13 from Makarfi Prison, nine from Kachia Prison and eight from Manchok Prison.

“Others are, eight from Kwoi Prison, 10 from Kafanchan Prison, four from Gwantu Prison, nine from Saminaka Prison and nine from Birnin Gwari Prison.

“We are planning to release a total of 800 inmates in 2014 who committed minor offences, as they constitute the large number of those in prison.’’

Bayero commended the state government for providing the committee with funds to carry out its function, and assured that more inmates would be freed during the next prison visit.