Ebonyi State First Lady, Mary-Maudline Nwifuru, has paid the fines of 41 male inmates at the Nigerian Correctional Service Custodial Centre in Abakaliki, enabling their release. Among them was 16-year-old Ogobuchi Ikebe, jailed for stealing a Bluetooth device.
While addressing the released inmates, Mrs. Nwifuru encouraged them to avoid crime and use their freedom wisely. “We will continue to give hope to the inmates,” she said.
State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ben Odo, revealed that the Abakaliki facility houses 1,265 inmates, including 31 women, all facing capital offenses such as murder. None of the female inmates were among those released, as they await trial or transfer to Enugu maximum-security prison.
One of the freed inmates, 26-year-old Nwafor Emmanuel, shared harrowing experiences from his time in prison, where he witnessed the deaths of five inmates. Convicted for stealing a generator, Emmanuel vowed never to return to a life of crime, expressing gratitude to the First Lady for his freedom.
“The condition of inmates in the prison is very pathetic. I want to thank the wife of our dear governor for securing my release,” he said.
