66 kirikiri prisoners regain freedom in Lagos

Sixty six prisoners on Tuesday had cause to breathe the air of freedom when the Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Oluwafunmilayo Atilade granted amnesty to the inmates who had been incarcerated in the Kirikiri Medium Prison, Lagos.

The 66 freed inmates are among the 2789 awaiting trial inmates at the prison which has a capacity of 1700.

Justice Atilade who originally intended to free only 35 inmates, later increase the number to 66 after prison officials prevailed on her to consider other inmates in other to decongest the heavily populated prison.

Admonishing the freed inmates to go and sin no more, Justice Atilade said that the only way to reciprocate the gesture is for them to henceforth live a good life and be of good conduct.

“You are hereby released from this prison today May 9, 2017. Go and sin no more,” She said.

Justice Atilade stated that the objective of the exercise is not only to decongest the prison but also to ensure that the freed inmates are truly reformed.

“The impact of this exercise can only be felt when you the beneficiaries of this amnesty gesture show that you are truly reformed. I wish you the very best and you should see this as an opportunity to start afresh,” she said.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Deputy Comptroller of Prison, Oluwaniyi decried the deplorable state of prison saying that the facility is in dire need of new structures and vehicles.

“You may wish to know that  resources and facilities of this prisons are seriously over stretched. We are doing everything possible to manage the challenge but we are appealing to your lordship to use your influence to prevail on the Lagos State Government to build two more structures for us here.

“We also need about two Black Marias to help us with the challenging of transporting inmates to various court where their matters are been handled,” he said.