ABAKALIKI- The Wife of Ebonyi Governor, Mrs Mary-Maudline Nwifuru, on Tuesday, secured the release of 41 inmates from the Abakaliki Medium Security Custodial Centre after paying their fines.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nwifuru announced the gesture when she visited the inmates and officers of the centre in Abakaliki.
The kind intervention was part of the activities organised by her office to celebrate the Christmas.
Nwifuru urged the inmates to consider their stay in the facility as their fate, urging them to turn a new leaf and repent from the crimes for which they were convicted
The governor’s wife also made cash donation to the inmates, and encouraged them to take advantage of their incarceration to make a change in their lives.
She said that her initiative, Better Health for Rural Women, Children and Internally Displaced Foundation (BERWO), is aimed at transforming lives.
She underscored the need for the inmates to imbibe good morals and shun crime for the betterment of society.
She said that her passion for assisting the vulnerable and underprivileged members of society spurred her visit to the facility.
“This is the second time BERWO is providing such gesture to inmates in the state.
“We will continue to give hope to the inmates,” Nwifuru said.
Speaking, the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ben Odo, disclosed that there were 1,265 inmates at the centre.
Odoh appealed to the Federal Government to complement similar efforts by decongesting the prisons.
“Some of the inmates here have stayed for years, because they do not have money to pay their fines,” he said.
He commended the governor’s wife and State Government for justice delivery and transformation of lives.
Earlier in a remark, the officer in charge of the centre, DCC Benedict Oyoko, applauded the governor’s wife for the visit and her kind gesture, which he described as the first of its kind.
Oyoko appealed to her to continue to support the inmates through regular visits and donations.
“I want to appreciate your continued motherly love and care.
“We request for your continuous partnership and support to inmates and staff of the centre,” Oyoko said.
In separate remarks, two clergymen, Fr. Henry Ogodo and Amadi Nwokedi, urged the freed inmates to become ambassadors of peace and changed persons in society.
A 27-years-old beneficiary, Emmanuel Nwafor, said he had been incarcerated since August 2023.
“Hardship led me to prison.
“I stole a generator and was asked to pay a fine of N100,000, but I could not pay, Nwafor said. (NAN)
