A total of 97 inmates regained their freedom at the Agodi Maximum Security Prison in Ibadan, Oyo State, as part of a prison decongestion exercise led by the state’s Chief Judge, Justice Iyabode Yerima.
The exercise aimed to review cases and grant pardons to deserving inmates, with a focus on those with deteriorating health and prolonged pre-trial detentions.
The freed inmates were urged to engage in productive ventures and avoid recidivism, with Justice A.L. Akintola, representing the Chief Judge, emphasizing the importance of reintegration and responsible citizenship.
The prison, which has a capacity of 350 inmates, is currently overcrowded with over 1,400 inmates.
The State Controller of Corrections, Mr. Ayoola Dare Opadeji, expressed gratitude to the judiciary for the gesture, noting that a total of 77 inmates had earlier been released from the Abolongo Custodial Centre in Oyo as part of the same initiative.
Justice Akintola encouraged the freed inmates to learn a trade, pursue an honest living, and become responsible citizens, stressing that the exercise was not only a legal act of mercy but also a societal call for transformation and accountability.
