Former chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Adamawa State and current Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Yola, Bishop Stephen Dami Mamza, has visited inmates at the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Yola, donating relief items to commemorate the Christmas celebration.

During the visit, Mamza explained that Christmas commemorates the incarnation of Jesus Christ, which he said is of great significance in Christendom. He shared in the joy of the season with the inmates, emphasising that they, too, are human.

“In the spirit of the joyful Christmas celebration, we want to extend the joy to our brothers and sisters who are in custody, the inmates here in Yola. We hope and pray that they will also have a sense of celebration even within the prison walls,” Mamza said.

Accompanied by members of the Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC), a Catholic non-governmental organisation, Mamza donated assorted items to the inmates, including medications for basic first aid, 20 plastic buckets, bags of slippers, seven cartons of laundry soap and a live cow. He assured the inmates of continued support and urged the government to improve the structures and facilities used at the custodial centre.

The acting superintendent in charge of the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Jimeta, Benjamin Reuben Deltin, expressed appreciation for the Bishop’s visit and the gesture extended to the centre. He promised that the donated items would be put to good use and called on the government to address overcrowding at the facility.

“The facility is overstretched. The capacity of this centre is 300 inmates, but there are currently about 399 inmates. We are pleading with the courts and the government to speed up some of the cases to help decongest the custodial centre,” he said.

The inmates expressed appreciation to Bishop Mamza and his entourage for the Christmas gifts through words and songs.