By Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba
A total of 65 prisoners from the Delta State Command of the Nigerian Prisons Service have regained their freedom courtesy of visit to prisons across the state by the Presidential Committee on Prisons Reform and Decongestion.
The Committee led by Hon. Justice I.U. Bello, the Chief Judge of FCT and including Deputy Comptroller-General of Prisons, Mr. Abubakar Garuba (DCG, OPS, CD) and other members, secured the release of the lucky prisoners upon review of cases involving the beneficiaries.
The committee while reviewing the cases of the inmates decided to secure the release of some of them on condition of ill health, old age and payment of prescribed fines, noting that it was a way to decongest the prisons in the state.
The breakdown of the number of inmates released from the different prisons across the state shows that 14 persons were from Warri Prison, 15 persons from Sapele Prison, eight inmates from Kwale Prison, 10 inmates were in Ogwashi-Uku Prison and 118 inmates were from Agbor Prison.
The Comptroller of Prisons in the state, Mr. Sam I. Iyakoregha expressed appreciation to the federal prisons reform committee and the Delta State Government for the humane gesture, saying it would go a long way in decongesting the prisons in the state.
