The federal government has freed fifteen inmates from the Malumfashi Satellite Custodial Centre in Katsina.
This was made known by the Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Haliru Nababa, who added that the prisoners were those on minor offences.
Furthermore, Nababa, who was represented by the Controller of Corrections, Katsina Command, Mr Abdulmumin-Haruna, revealed that the release was sponsored by the Minister of Interior, Dr Olabinmi Tunji-Ojo.
He said, “I commend the minister for this laudable initiative aimed at putting smiles on the faces of freed inmates.
“This is the first of its kind in the country and will go a long way in reducing overcrowding in custodial centres.”
Nababa urged inmates who did not benefit from the gesture not to view their confinement as the end of their lives.
The highlight of the event was the presentation of N10,000 each to the freed inmates to ease transportation to their respective homes.
In their comments, the released detainees expressed gratitude to the Federal Government and centre officials, promising not to repeat the crimes they had committed.
Meanwhile, no fewer than three small-scale miners have died while 11 others were injured when a mining pit collapsed in Dan Kamfani, Anka Local Government of Zamfara State.
An eyewitness who works around the area and craved anonymity disclosed on Saturday that the incident occurred around 4 p.m. on Thursday.
He stated that the number of casualties can’t be confirmed due to the death of the mining pi which is 275 metres deep.
The eyewitness added that the deceased are all from the Yar Tsabaya district in Anka LGA.
“The mining collapsed a few minutes to 4 p.m. on Thursday, we don’t know the exact number of people inside the mining pit, but three dead bodies were recovered, and 11 others are seriously wounded.
“The three people who died are from the Yar Tsabaya district of Anka Local Government. Up till now, we don’t have the actual figure of the people inside, and we cannot confirm the number of people because the mining pit is about 275 metres deep,” the eyewitness said.