The governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, has granted freedom to 170 prison inmates across the state.
Mr Ganduje, who witnessed the release of the inmates from Goron Dutse Prison on Tuesday, said the gesture was in the spirit of Eid-El Kabir.
“You are part of the people who need our attention at this time and all other times,” he said.
The governor said that the gesture was to complement Federal Government’s efforts to further reduce congestion in the nation’s prisons.
Mr Ganduje said that President Muhammadu Buhari had directed all governors to help in decongesting prisons across the country.
“President Buhari has since directed all governors to help in decongesting our prisons across the country. What we are doing is in compliance with that order given to us,” he said.
The governor also disclosed that since the inception of his administration in 2015, about 2000 inmates have been released.
He advised the ex-inmates to change their attitudes to life and pray for peace and stability in Nigeria.
The governor also gave each of the freed inmates N5,000 as transport fare to their destination.
Earlier, the Comptroller of Prisons in Kano, Abdullahi Magaji, thanked the governor for freeing about 2,000 inmates since his coming into office.
Mr Magaji advised the freed inmates to stay off crimes to avoid going back to prison.
Some of the freed inmates commended the State Government for the gesture and promised to shun crimes.
The inmates also presented the governor with gifts for his efforts in freeing prison inmates in the state.
NAN
