Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State on Sunday freed 12 inmates from the maximum Nigeria Correctional Centre in Makurdi.
Alia also granted a state pardon to one Dennis Terwase Yogbo who was dismissed from the state civil service in 1995 by converting the dismissal to termination of appointment.
The governor’s decision followed the recommendation made by the Benue State Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy headed by the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr. Fidelis Mnyim.
While admonishing the released inmates to be of good behavior as they step out of prison into the society, the governor charged them to make use of the skills acquired while in custody to better the rest of their lives.
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He said, “Give your society the very best. And as for the gentleman whose dismissal has been converted to termination of appointment, don’t take any elements of life for granted. Demonstrate your newness into your society.”
Alia added that the act of mercy was premised on his administration’s desire to offer the best to people of the state even as he is worried that most of the inmates were quite young who ordinarily shouldn’t be anywhere near the prison environment.
“This shouldn’t be home for them. I was quite shocked to see the faces of many young people here where there are a total of 525 inmates including 25 females – one with a baby, others who came in with pregnancy,” the governor said.
Earlier, the Attorney-General, Mnyim intimated the governor that his committee did a thorough job to recommend the beneficiaries as deserving of mercy for release and pardon in line with section 212 of the Nigerian constitution (1999) for offenses they committed against the state.
Mnyim further disclosed that the released inmates were drawn from Makurdi, Otukpo and Gboko correctional facilities.
Responding, one of the released inmates, Barnabas Apaav, thanked the governor on behalf of his colleagues and promised to henceforth exhibit good behaviour as they go back to the society.
On his part, Dennis Terwase Yogbo, who was granted state pardon, disclosed that he had been in bondage for 28 years and seeking solutions to no avail until the God-sent governor came to his rescue following the recommendation of the council after reviewing his case and converting his dismissal to termination.
