A 30-year-old tailor, Musa Ahmad, has said that he ventured into petty stealing when he lost his means of livelihood – his tailoring shop – to demolition by the Bauchi State Government last year.

The state government had last year issued a notice to illegal shop owners and structures on major roads within the major cities across the state, which were demolished early this year.

Musa, who was among the 13 inmates freed from the Bauchi Correctional Centre on Tuesday, explained that he was arrested by the Police for stealing and was sentenced to six months’ jail.
He said, “I am a resident of Kofar Gombe, I’m a tailor, but since the government demolished our shops, we are left with nothing. Feeding has been so difficult for us. But I thank God for everything; I don’t wish to go back there again. I thank the man who paid for my fine.”

An abroad-based Nigerian, Uchechukwu Emmanuel Obioha, popularly called “Papiwater DXB,” to mark his birthday on 20th May, paid N1 million to offset the fines of the 13 inmates in Bauchi.
According to Obioha’s friend, Taye Abdullahi, who coordinated the release, there are plans to enrol the convicts into different skills acquisition centres like shoemaking, carpentry, plumbing, and others.

Another freed inmate, Nasiru Abubakar, who expressed appreciation, said he was sentenced to six months’ jail after being arrested by police when some youth attacked a Suya Meat Seller in Bauchi metropolis.
“Some of my friends had stolen roasted meat and gave me a portion of about N100. I was eating when the police arrested me while others fled,” he said.

Also, Hassan Umar was arrested at 12:00 am on Sabon Gari road, Bauchi metropolis, after closing from his mechanic workshop, heading home.
He said, “We were taken to the Police station, they asked us to pay N5,000 but I could not afford it, and we were charged to court where they sentenced us to six months’ jail before this man paid our fines.”