‘Shun crimes to avert going back to prison – Ebonyi gov’s wife, Nwifuru tells inmates

…As Commissioner for Justice, Odo blames FG for congestion of prisons

By Uchenna Okeh, Abakaliki

The wife of Ebonyi State governor, Mary-Maudline Nwifuru on Tuesday tasked forty one inmates who were freed from languishing in Abakaliki correctional centre to shun crimes to avert going back to prison.

The Nations News Nigeriareports that the wife of the governor had last year paid the fines for fifty three inmates and this year paid another fines for forty one inmates.

Nwifuru’s wife who made this known at the Nigerian Correctional Service Custodial Centre, Abakaliki, charged the inmates to change and imbible good morals for the betterment of the society.

It was gathered that the inmates who were freed by the wife of the governor, Nwifuru were convicted for various crimes with the option of fines.

She donated a cash gift to the inmates and encouraged them to take advantage of the exercise and make a change.

Mrs. Nwifuru said that her initiative, Better Health for Rural Women, Children, and Internally Displaced Foundation BERWO, aimed at transforming lives.

According to her: “This is the second time BERWO is giving such a gesture to inmates in the state. We will continue to give hope to the inmates,” she said.

In a swift reaction, the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ben Odo disclosed that 31 of the female inmates in the center are facing capital offences of murder.

He said the Centre has a total of 1,265 inmates out of which 31 of them are females.

Odo said none of the 31 female inmates were among the released inmates by the wife of the governor because they were facing capital offences.

He noted that if they are convicted, they would be transferred to Enugu maximum prison where those on death sentence are kept, awaiting execution.

“We have here in the Nigerian Correctional Service Custodial Centre, Abakaliki 1, 265 inmates. Out of that 1,265 inmates, 31 are female inmates.and all the female inmates have offence attached to them.

“They are charged with capital offences, murder and the matter is still ongoing in court, they have not been sentenced. This is why all the people that their fines have been paid are all male.

“The 31 female inmates that are here still have ongoing matters in court and because they still have ongoing matters in court , we can’t pay the fine of people that have not been sentenced by the court.

“31 of them are facing capital offences, 31 of them are murder. If they are convicted, the implication is that they will not be here. Anybody who is convicted of murder of capital offence, will be sent to Enugu maximum prison where people that are facing death sentence are kept”, Odo said.

One of the freed male inmates, Nwafor Emmanuel, 26, said he has been in the prison since August last year and commended Mrs. Nwifuru for freeing him.

Another, Ogobuchi Ikebe, a 16 year old boy, said he was convicted for stealing Bluetooth, and commended the wife of the governor, Mary-Maudline Uzoamaka Nwifuru for facilitating his release from prison.