Governor of Bayelsa State, Douye Diri, has granted amnesty to nine inmates of the Nigeria Correctional Centre, Okaka in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.
The governor made the declaration when he visited the facility, where he advised the freed inmates to become responsible members of society by abiding by set laws.
He noted that it was within his constitutional responsibility to grant amnesty to inmates based on recommendations from the Committee on Prerogative of Mercy.
Diri also expressed displeasure over the number of prisoners in custody while noting that the only way the centre could be decongested was through the reduction of crime in the state.
“Whereas you have all made written applications seeking for this discretionary exercise by the government of Bayelsa State, I also have in consultation with the Committee on Prerogative of Mercy and in accordance with the laws of Bayelsa State and in the exercise of my constitutional powers as the Governor of Bayelsa State, hereby grant you mercy.
“I do not believe we should have this centre congested with our brothers and sisters. In other words, the propensity for crime and criminality must be reduced. That is the only way we can decongest the Okaka Correctional Centre. If we grant amnesty and there is still the propensity to continue in crime, no amount of jail delivery can decongest this prison.
“My advice to you is that you change your ways. Change your approach to life and become responsible members of society and contribute to the good image of Bayelsa State.”
On her part, the Chief Judge of Bayelsa State, Justice Kate Abiri, thanked the governor for constituting the Committee on Prerogative of Mercy and for heeding the proposal to carry out his constitutional duty.
She expressed optimism on the decongestion of the facility as she explained the concern of the Chief Justice of the Federation on the congestion of prisons across the country.
According to her, she had limited power to release prisoners as she can only pardon inmates, whose cases are not too grievous and may have lingered while stressing that only the governor had the constitutional power to grant amnesty.
