Forty-one male inmates of the Abakaliki Correctional Centre can now breathe the air of freedom, thanks to the intervention of Chief Mrs. Mary-Maudline Uzoamaka Nwifuru, the wife of the Ebonyi State Governor. The initiative, aimed at decongesting the facility, saw Mrs. Nwifuru paying fines to secure their release on Tuesday.
The correctional centre currently accommodates 1,265 inmates, including 31 females, none of whom benefitted from the exercise due to the nature of their charges. Among those released was a 16-year-old boy, Ogobuchi Ikebe, convicted for stealing a Bluetooth device.
Providing further details, the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Ben Odo, noted that all female inmates at the facility are facing capital charges, primarily murder. “Their cases are still ongoing, and if convicted, they will be transferred to Enugu Maximum Prison, where those sentenced to death are held,” Odo explained.
One of the freed inmates, 26-year-old Nwafor Emmanuel, shared his gratitude and pledged to turn a new leaf after spending over a year in prison for stealing a generator. He described the living conditions in the facility as “pathetic,” recalling the deaths of five inmates during his time there.
In her address to the released inmates, Mrs. Nwifuru encouraged them to stay away from crime and assured them of her continued efforts to uplift the less privileged in society.
