The Legal Aid Council of Nigeria (LACON), has secured the release of seven convicted inmates from the Medium Security Custodial Centres in Nasarawa State and Suleja in Niger State.

The council warned the released inmates against reoffending, reminding them that crime has consequences and that such opportunities for freedom are rare.

The media officer of the council, Amaka Agbaih, in a statement, on Wednesday, said the release is in collaboration with the Harrison Goday Foundation.

According to Agbaih, the inmates, who had been sentenced to various fines, were freed after the foundation paid N1,050,000 on their behalf.

The initiative targeted indigent convicts who could not pay fines imposed on them or compensation awarded against them by the court.

Among the beneficiaries, three had already completed their prison terms but remained incarcerated due to their inability to settle court-ordered compensation to victims.
During the exercise, LACON’s Decongestion unit also identified eight awaiting-trial inmates in need of legal representation in courts within the Federal Capital Territory.

The head of the unit, Oliver Chukwuma, lamented the persistent challenges of overcrowding, understaffing, and inadequate food supply in custodial facilities.
He emphasised the need for increased manpower and consistent sewage management to improve prison conditions.

Speaking at the release event, the Chairman of the Harrison Goday Foundation, Mr. Ogochukwu Nga, urged the freed inmates to avoid behaviors and associations that could lead them back to prison.
He stressed the importance of rehabilitation and reintegration into society as law-abiding citizens.

Representing the Director-General of LACON, Chukwuma commended the foundation for its generosity and expressed hope for future partnerships to support incarcerated individuals.
He also praised the Nigerian Correctional Service for facilitating the administrative procedures involved in the payment of fines and compensations.