Niger to grant blind, sick prison inmates, others amnesty

As part of efforts address the high level of congestion of prisons across the state, the Niger State Government has set up a committee to look into ways of decongesting the prisons and improve the facilities.
The Government, through the Secretary, Advisory Council on Prerogatory and Permanent Secretary, Political, Alhaji Baba Wachiko Yahaya, said the Council will recommend to Governor Abubakar Sani Bello to apply leniency on inmates who have been of good behaviour.
The 17-member committee, drawn from the traditional institution, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Gender Affair, Nigeria Bar Association and Social Welfare among others on Monday visited the Minna Old Prison and Minna Medium Prisons, Tunga, where prisoners scheduled for amnesty were presented to them for the governor’s leniency and pardon.
According to Yahaya: “The state government is ready to grant amnesty to well behaved inmates and those who have certain challenges, especially on health grounds.
“We discovered that most of the inmates are youths and they either have less than six months or could not pay their fine options to gain freedom.”
He added that the exercise will help the government have comprehensive details of the number of inmates across the state and those that can be co-opted and integrated back into the society.
“We want to also see how this can help decongest the eight prisons in the state and also see how we can improve the prison facilities to better the lives of the inmates,” he said.
One of the inmates, turned General Pastor of the Minna Old Prisons, Ejike Nwaebeko, assured that he will be of good behaviour when granted amnesty, adding: “I was foolish.
“The book of Jeremiah 17:11 made me understand that a wealth stolen will definitely disappear.
“I committed the crime when I was a very young boy.
“Now, I have turned my craftiness into becoming a craftsman.
“Ever since I arrived here (prisons), I told myself that I was foolish but now I am wiser and better.
“I am teaching other inmates on how to become craftsmen when they also leave here.”
The team said it will consider inmates on the ground of ill health, age, less than six months left to serve, good conduct and those with option of fine and compensation.
However, no female was considered for amnesty.
According to Ikyernum James, Superintendent, Admin and Staff, on behalf of the Deputy Controller of Prisons, the six females in the old Minna Prisons are all awaiting trials.
Among those being considered for amnesty are two blind inmates, a 70-year-old retired Soldier and a mentally deranged inmate.