By Abubakar Rabilu, Gombe
A humanitarian organisation, Gidan Alheri/Dangin Juna Africa, has secured the release of four inmates from the Gombe State Correctional Centre after paying fines and compensation imposed on them by various courts.
The beneficiaries, comprising three young men and a woman, had remained in custody despite being convicted of minor offences because they could not afford to pay the financial penalties ordered by the courts.
The intervention took place during a visit by officials of the organisation to the correctional facility.
The delegation was led by the Chairman of Gidan Alheri/Dangin Juna Africa, Hon. Sagir A.A. Haruna, and included Barrister Abubakar Haruna Anatare, a member of the committee overseeing the organisation’s humanitarian activities.
Speaking while receiving the delegation, the Deputy Controller of Corrections in charge of the facility, DCC Victor Odafen, commended the organisation for the gesture, describing it as a timely intervention that would help decongest the correctional centre.
Odafen disclosed that the facility, originally designed to accommodate 399 inmates, currently houses more than 1,000, underscoring the urgent need for greater support from philanthropists, individuals and charitable organisations.
He said the intervention by Gidan Alheri demonstrated compassion and concern for vulnerable members of society.
“Gidan Alheri has truly lived up to the meaning of its name through this noble gesture. If more organisations and well-meaning Nigerians emulate this initiative, overcrowding in correctional centres across the country will be significantly reduced,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the organisation, its Chairman, Hon. Sagir A.A. Haruna, said supporting vulnerable and indigent persons remains one of Gidan Alheri/Dangin Juna Africa’s core mandates.
According to him, the organisation is committed to reaching out to the less privileged whenever the opportunity arises, adding that its interventions are aimed at restoring hope and improving the living conditions of disadvantaged persons.
Haruna also commended members of the organisation for their dedication and sustained contributions to humanitarian initiatives targeting vulnerable groups.
Beyond securing the inmates’ freedom, a member of the organisation, Hauwa’u Abdulmumini, popularly known as Hasken Matan Gona, donated start-up capital and clothing materials to the freed woman to enable her establish a small business and become self-reliant.
The beneficiaries, whose identities were withheld, expressed gratitude to the organisation for the intervention and prayed for divine blessings upon its members for their generosity and commitment to humanitarian service.