The Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Dr. Ramatu Aliyu has secured the release of five inmates from the Kuje Correctional Service with her May salary.
The five inmates had an option of fine but couldn’t afford to pay before the Minister stepped in. She was on a visit to the correctional facility to celebrate the Eid-el-Fitri with inmates.
The Minister who issued a statement after the ‘donation’ said her gesture would help decongest the facility which was already overcrowded with detainees.
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She assured that her administration will do it best to decongest the facility further through legal means.
“I will not only support the reduction, but I will also lend my voice in the reduction of prison inmates by picking up some bills.
I will carry out the campaign and speak to well-meaning Nigerians because you cannot leave the burden of good governance to the government alone.
“We know that some of you are awaiting trial, we know that some have not been tried at all, but provided there is a law, we will not be lawless.
” We will go by the law and get in well-meaning Nigerians and pay up the fines.
This will also go a long way to reduce the number, besides government pronouncements.
“Government pronouncement as we all know do not come easily in every nation.
” If government pronouncement comes very easily, then definitely, the name correctional centre will be misplaced.
We know Mr President recently spoke our minds when he spoke about the need to decongest our prisons.
“And I know my minister, a God-fearing man, and a man with a heart of gold, he will certainly send the message across. God willing, FCT administration will make moves to decongest our prison-based on merit.
“We know that some of you are awaiting trial, we know that some have not been tried at all, but provided there is a law, we will not be lawless.
” We will go by the law and get in well-meaning Nigerians and pay up the fines.
This will also go a long way to reduce the number, besides government pronouncements.
“Government pronouncement as we all know do not come easily in every nation.
” If government pronouncement comes very easily, then definitely, the name correctional centre will be misplaced.
We know Mr President recently spoke our minds when he spoke about the need to decongest our prisons.
“And I know my minister, a God-fearing man, and a man with a heart of gold, he will certainly send the message across. God willing, FCT administration will make moves to decongest our prison-based on merit.
I in my own capacity, I stand here personally on this Sallah day, I want to donate my salary for the release of 5 inmates,” the Minister said in a statement.
She affirmed that the correctional service is carrying out its duty of rehabilitation of detainees so they can reintegrate with the society when they leave.
She further advised the inmates to take advantage of the experiences offered by the correctional facility.
There are times in our life that we erred, but to err is human, and to forgive is divine.
” There are times in our life that we are put to test, sometimes, we pass the test, sometimes we fail.
” For various reasons, we may have found ourselves at the correctional centre. But you know what, you can make the best out of it.
“As we appreciate you, we pray for you to come out to be better citizens that will give us a Nigeria of our dreams.
” Somebody else cannot give us Nigeria of our dreams and you cannot give us Nigeria of our dreams from outside, you can only give us Nigeria of our dream from within and I know you are already at the preparatory stage.
” When you leave here either by amnesty or whatever pronouncements, you can only become better citizens,” she concluded.
The Comptroller of the FCT command of the correctional services, Mustapha Atta thanked the Minister for visiting the facility.
He also expressed displeasure at the number of inmates awaiting trial in the facility and appealed to the Minister to work towards decongesting the prison.
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