Governor Mohammed Bago (file photo)
‘The payment of fines was also considered based on the recommendations of the State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy with due considerations to old age, ill health and as well good behaviours’
By Mohammed Usman
Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umar Bago, has approved the payment of unspecified sum of money as fine for the discharge of 80 inmates serving various jail terms across National Correctional Centres (NCC) in the state.
The freedom granted the inmates was part of activities marking June 12 Democracy Day in the state.
The approved payments via a statement from the office of the Secretary to Niger State Government (SSG), Alhaji Abubakar Usman, came against initial denials by the NCC that the former Governor, Sani Bello, similarly ordered the release of over 100 prisoners shortly before exit from office but, without cash backing.
Payment of the undisclosed sum of fine for the discharge of the inmates, according to the statement, was in line with powers of Prerogative of Mercy as guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
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“The payment of fines was also considered based on the recommendations of the State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy with due considerations to old age, ill health and as well good behaviours”.
The statement signed by Lawal Tanko, Information Officer, office of the SSG, also implored the inmates to utilise their freedom by being law-abiding, engaging in legitimate ventures and to shun acts that could lead them back to the correctional facility by exploring the many available empowerment schemes to become self reliant.
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