Iliyasu Abdullahi Bah
In commemoration of Democracy Day, Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum has granted full and partial pardons to 66 inmates at the Maiduguri Maximum Security Custodial Centre.
During his visit to the facility on Thursday, the governor also converted death penalties to life imprisonment and reduced sentences for several other detainees.
These decisions were based on recommendations from the Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy.
Exercising his constitutional powers under Section 212 of the Nigerian Constitution, Zulum stated, “I have approved these pardons and sentence reviews as part of our Democracy Day observance, offering deserving inmates a second chance.”
The governor further announced plans to upgrade the prison’s vocational training center, instructing the Commissioner for Education to implement enhanced literacy, numeracy, and digital skills programs for inmates. “These initiatives will equip detainees with valuable skills for reintegration into society,” he explained.
In a humanitarian gesture, Zulum donated 300 bags of rice, 50 jerrycans of cooking oil, five cows, and a N20,000 cash gift to each of the 1,280 inmates.
He clarified that the funds would be managed by correctional officials but remain accessible to the beneficiaries as needed.
Governor Zulum urged the inmates to uphold good behavior, emphasizing their role in maintaining peace.
Borno State Correctional Service Controller Ahmed Bawa praised the governor’s unprecedented support, noting that Zulum had previously donated 100 bags of rice, 20 cartons of oil, and 10 bulls to the facility in May.
Speaking on behalf of the inmates, their leader, Daniel Simon, expressed gratitude, acknowledging that Zulum’s good governance initiatives have positively impacted even the correctional system.