The Presidential Committee on Prisons Reform and Decongestion and the Edo Government have secured the release of 84 inmates from various prisons in the state.
DSP Aminu Suleman, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the state Command of the Nigerian Prisons Service, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Benin.
Suleman said that the release of the inmates was secured in the course of a decongestion tour of the prisons, which began on March 20 when a committee, led by FCT Chief Judge, Justice Ishaq Bello, visited the prisons.
He added that the documentation and final release of the last batch of the inmates was concluded on March 26.
“The number of inmates released from the various prisons are: MSP Oko 22; Benin Prisons (old) 33; Ozalla Farm Centre 3; Auchi Prison 7; Female Prison Auchi 1; Ubiaja Prison 3; Ogba Farm Project, 15.
“The inmates were advised to re-enter the free society with apologies to their parents and other loved ones for their misconduct, and to become useful citizens to themselves, their families, and the entire country.
“Their fines of varying amounts were paid by the committee on behalf of the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, in collaboration with the Edo Government and other donors.
“The fines are in the range of N20,000 and above,” Suleman said.
Some of the inmates were given funds to start up skilled trades, while some were given transport fare to their various destinations within and outside the state. (NAN)