Cynthia Ezegwu
The Adamawa State Judiciary, in partnership with the Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC), has released 57 inmates and granted bail to 29 others as part of an ongoing effort to decongest correctional centres across the state.
The Chief Judge of Adamawa State, Justice Hafsat Abdulrahman, announced the figures on Friday at the conclusion of the jail delivery exercise at the Jimeta Custodial Centre in Yola.
Justice Abdulrahman said the committee also reviewed the sentences of three inmates and assessed the cases of 52 non-convicted detainees. She noted that the PPDC paid fines for four inmates who had been convicted with an option of fine, resulting in their immediate discharge.
She urged the released inmates to conduct themselves responsibly and avoid returning to criminal activities, noting that many had committed minor offences and did not require prolonged detention.
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Ms. Motunrayo Anibaba, State Programme Manager for PPDC, said the organisation allocated N1 million to support the payment of fines for convicted detainees. She explained that the intervention is part of the Reforming Pretrial Detention in Nigeria Project (Phase II), aimed at enhancing justice delivery and safeguarding the rights and dignity of detainees.
Anibaba commended the cooperation between the PPDC, correctional authorities, and the justice sector in achieving the initiative.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Haggai Audu expressed gratitude for the support and pledged that the released inmates would strive to uphold good character.