UPDATE: GOV. YUSUF SECURES RELEASE OF PREGNANT WOMEN, NURSING MOTHER'S FROM KANO PRISON

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Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Yusuf, has facilitated the release of eight female inmates from the Goron-Dutse Correctional Centre, with pregnant women and nursing mothers topping the list of beneficiaries.

Among the released inmates were two pregnant women and two nursing mothers, who had been held for minor offences but were unable to pay their fines and compensation. The governor settled their dues in full, securing their freedom and offering them a fresh start.

“These women, especially those carrying unborn children or nursing infants, deserve compassion and a chance to return to their families,” Governor Yusuf said during an unscheduled visit to the facility. “No child should be born or raised behind bars.”

The governor was accompanied by key government officials as he inspected the living conditions of inmates, pledging his administration’s commitment to prison reform and inmate welfare.

“I came here today not just to see the condition of this facility, but to remind the inmates that the government has not forgotten them,” he told journalists. “Our focus is on rehabilitation, not punishment.”

The Governor’s Spokesperson, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, in a statement issued on Friday, confirmed the release and reiterated that the intervention was part of a broader plan to support the rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates.

Speaking to the inmates, Governor Yusuf encouraged them to view their incarceration as a temporary setback and to embrace change. “This is not the end for you. Use this opportunity to rebuild your lives,” he said.

The Governor also expressed deep concern over the overcrowding in correctional facilities, revealing that of the 1,939 inmates at Goron-Dutse, only 382 had been convicted, while 1,536 were still awaiting trial.

“We cannot allow this kind of congestion to continue. We will work with the Judiciary to fast-track cases and reduce the burden on our correctional centres,” he promised.

In a move to further decongest facilities, Governor Yusuf announced plans to relocate inmates from the congested Kurmawa Correctional Centre to the better-equipped Janguza Maximum Security Correctional Facility, which he visited later in the day.

“I am impressed by the infrastructure here at Janguza. It’s only right that we begin to move inmates here for better living conditions,” he said.

The governor also provided immediate relief to inmates by ordering the supply of cows, foodstuffs, mattresses, blankets, and assorted beverages.