Gov Ortom pardons 16 inmates due to second wave of COVID-19

The Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom has pardoned no fewer than 16 inmates at the Maximum Security Custodial Centre (MSCC) Makurdi, due to the outbreak of the second wave of COVID-19.

This was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by Governor Ortom in Makurdi, who said that the decision to pardon the inmates was based on the directive of the Federal Government as a result of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Governor Ortom urged the inmates to avoid the mistakes that sent them to prison as they had been given a second chance to be good citizens to themselves, their family and the nation at large.

“I urge you all to enter the New Year as reformed people and help in moulding the character of members of their respective families and communities to stay away from crime,” his statement read in part.

READ ALSO: Ortom begs Buhari to sustain ban on rice importation

This came days after Ripples Nigeria reported that Governor Ortom defended the Christmas Day message delivered by Bishop Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Matthew Hassan Kukah which has elicited caustic reactions especially from the North.

Governor Ortom in a statement issued on Wednesday through his Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase, said that the state of the nation message delivered by Bishop Kukah was a true reflection of the nation.

In the statement, Governor Ortom lamented that the reaction of the Federal Government to the message of the cleric whom the government accused of stirring hatred against the President, is unfair and repressive of the Federal Government’s.

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