On December 19, 2007 when Muslim across the world celebrated Eid-el-Kabir, it was double celebration in Kwara State as the governor, Dr. Bukola Saraki, marked his 45th birthday.

Series of events were held to make the birthday anniversary a distinguished and memorable one. One of these was the visit of the governor to the federal prisons in the Okekura area of Ilorin, the state capital. He was accompanied by his wife, Oluwatoyin and the state acting Chief Judge, Fola Gbadeyan.

Saraki during the visit exercise his prerogative power to grand freedom to 30 inmates, 16 of which were condemned criminals while 14 were suspects awaiting trials.

It was a moment of great happiness for the freed inmates, who demonstrated their gratitude to the governor by prostrating before him as soon as he made the declaration.

This freedom would be the most desired of the needs of the beneficiaries as it came at the time of Sallah and Christmas celebration to afford the people the opportunity to celebrate the season with their families, friends and free members of the society.

What made it more significant was the fact that Saraki was the first governor of the state to exercise such prerogative of mercy. Past governors of the state hardly visit the prison for this purpose. Usually, it is the state Chief Judges that visited the place for the purpose of setting prisoners free occasionally.

The governor was apparently disturbed by the condition of the prison as he called on the Ministry of Interior to source funds to take care of the inmates and ensure proper maintenance of the prisons.

“There is dire need for more funding for the maintenance of the prison and the welfare of the inmates. Besides, you can see that 80 per cent of the inmates are awaiting trial because of lack of prompt dispensation of justice”, he said.

He said the issue of welfare of prisoners would be tabled at the forum of governors in the country, which he currently chairs, for proper deliberation and action.

As part of efforts to rehabilitate the inmates the governor promised that his administration will provide 10 computers for the use of the inmates while in the prison “so that you will be able to comform with the society after serving your sentence”.

He reiterated commitment of his administration to setting up a legal committee which function would be to provide legal service for the inmates.

The Comptroller in charge of the prison, Kulende Babalola, appealed to the state government to provide the prison with more vehicles to ease the movement of inmates to and from courts. He called for appointment of more judges to hasten the dispensation of justice in the state.

Babalola expressed appreciation to Saraki for the visit, saying no elected governor of the state had ever visited the prison since 1914 when it was built.

Later in an interactive session with newsmen, the governor disclosed his preference for management of the prisons by states rather than the federal authorities. He said the prisons would be better for it if states were allowed to fund them.

Hs words: “The running of the prisons should be transferred to the states. I cannot remember when last the Minister for the Interior visited the prison.

“It is pathetic to know that over 80 per cent of those in prisons are awaiting trial. Some of whom ordinarily should have bagged a three-year sentence ended up spending more years without necessary trial”.

The governor said his administration, besides providing legal services for inmates, will make effort to ensure that the court proceedings of inmates awaiting trial are speed up in order to decongest the prison.

“On our part, we are providing legal services because of the inmates cannot afford this. We will also ask the magistrates to speed up the (inmates’) trials because the situation there is quite pathetic”, he said.

The governor stressed that he would discuss the issue of prisons reforms with his colleagues during the next meeting of the Governors’ Forum.

“We are very serious about the issue of prisons’ reforms and the need to improve on the welfare of the inmates. So I will discuss with my colleagues when next we meet to take action that will improve the welfare of the inmates in the various prisons in the country”, Saraki said.

The Kwara chief executive assured that the programme of setting prisoners free would be an annual event in the state.