Kogi CJ frees 5 inmates, seeks training for Correctional Service



The Chief Judge of Kogi state, Justice Nasiru Ajanah has called on the federal government to provide training workshops for Nigerian Correctional Service in the state to enable inmates have access to reformation skills rather than allowing them to be hardened.

Justice Ajanah also appealed for infrastructure to improve the living condition of the inmates in custody.

The CJ, who made the appeal Tuesday and Wednesday while on his regular prisons decongestion exercise for inmates unlawfully kept in detention at  Nigerian Correctional Service in the eastern flank of the state, said the purpose of establishing Correctional Service was to reform jailed  offenders.

He lamented that a situation where the system lacks training facilities, the inmates can become more hardened than they were before their incarceration .

“I noticed that the facilities at Ankpa, Dekina and Idah Correctional Service are still old and there is no improvement in the structures and I hope the appropriate authority will take note of that because these places suppose to be correctional facilities which means there is need to improve on what we have here so that detainees can learn something that will engage them after they regain their freedom.

“We are worried and appealing  to the appropriate authority to provide training  materials for tailoring, carpentry, mason , automobile mechanic , barbing among others, so that they will not leave these places to become more hardened than they were before coming to these  facilities.”

At Dekina Correctional Service, the CJ reviewed only six cases out of 11 and granted unconditional release to Chigoeze Christopher, who was on trial for cheating by impersonation  and the  bail condition of one other inmate, Rebecca Sanni, who could not fulfil her bail condition earlier granted by the high court was  varied from two sureties with the sum of N400,000 each to two sureties who must be residents of Anyigba where the inmates hailed from.

Also at Ankpa, Justice Ajanah granted unconditional release to Kabiru Muktari who  was arrested and charged  for conspiracy and armed robbery.

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