Bauchi State Governor, Sen Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir, recently made a big decision to help people who were in jail.
He pardoned 96 inmates from different jails in the state. This means those inmates are now free.
The governor also paid over N7 million to cover the fines the courts had given them. Additionally, he gave them N13 million to help them start a new life outside of jail.
This decision came after a group called Heart That Truly Cares (HTTC), along with other organizations, helped 21 inmates get released by paying their fines.
The governor decided to help more people who had committed minor crimes and couldn’t pay their fines.
Governor Bala Mohammed said he did this because he heard that these inmates had changed and were now better people.
He only chose those who had committed minor crimes and couldn’t pay their fines. He didn’t pardon those who had committed serious crimes because he didn’t want to encourage more serious crimes.
Each of the pardoned inmates received N100,000 to help them start a new business and become good citizens. The governor told them to think of themselves as free people and to behave well from now on.
The Chairman of the State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy, who is also the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Hassan U. EI-Yakub, explained that the governor had the power to pardon people under the constitution. He said the governor consulted with a council before making this decision.
The council received 106 applications from inmates asking for mercy. They visited all the jails in the state to carefully select 96 deserving inmates to recommend to the governor for pardon.
Governor Bala Mohammed promptly approved the council’s recommendations. He also provided money to pay fines and compensation for those who needed it.
Additionally, he gave palliatives and transportation money to the inmates who were getting released.
The breakdown of the inmates by location is as follows: 17 inmates from Bauchi Correctional Centre, 7 from Alkaleri, 10 from Azare, 6 from Bogoro, 8 from Ningi, 8 from Burra, 3 from Misau, 7 from Darazo, 3 from Jama’are, 9 from Tafawa Balewa, 5 from Toro, 4 from Gamawa, 2 from Shira, and 7 from Zaki.
