COVID-19: Edo pardons 173 inmates

The Edo State Government has pardoned 173 inmates of the Correctional Centres in the state in line with a declaration of the Federal Government that certain categories of inmates be released to create room for social distancing.

The spokesman of the Edo State Command of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCS), Aminu Suleiman, disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Benin.

According to Suleiman, Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo granted the inmates pardon and ordered their immediate release, adding that the pardoned inmates cut across the various Medium Security Custodial Centres of the Nigerian Correctional Service in the state.

Suleiman further said that the figures include 48 inmates from Oko, 108 from Benin Old, four from Auchi, 12 from Ubiaja and one from female facility, Auchi.

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The state NCS spokesman, who revealed that the state government also provided relief items to each of the released inmates, said that the Controller of Corrections, Edo State, Mr. Joseph Usendiah, while addressing inmates of MSCC Benin to inaugurate the release, urged the inmates to appreciate the favour by ensuring that none of them were found wanting again.

The controller also encouraged them to be law abiding and put into use all the training and skills they acquired while in custody.

“Controller Usendiah also gave words of advice to those still in custody that pardon comes from God therefore patience, commitment to learning and reformation should be the watch word.

“He also encouraged them to be hopeful in God”, the statement quoted Usendiah as saying.

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