Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
No fewer than 10 inmates at Onitsha and Awka correctional service centres, regained their freedom Thursday, courtesy of an intervention from a popular philanthropist in Anambra State.
The inmates have long been placed on bail but were retained at the correctional centres because they had nobody to perfect their bail conditions.
The philanthropist, Chief Maduaburochukwu Attah, perfected the release conditions of the inmates to mark his birthday and thank God for adding another year to his age.
On why he embarked on the intervention, Chief Attah who owns the famous ABU Charity Foundation, said he has no particular reason but just to put smiles on people’s faces.
According to him, “First, today is my birthday and I felt like celebrating with our brothers at the correctional centers. It gives me joy when I help people in need.
“The intervention was to give them another chance to correct the mistakes they made in the past as well as avail them opportunity to contribute their quota to societal progress.”
Chief Attah, who also handed over international passports to five Awka youths and empowered over 40 persons with disabilities same day, assured that his foundation would train the freed inmates to become better citizens of the country.
Reacting, Deputy Controller of Onitsha Custodial Correctional Centre, Sunday Igwe, and his Awka counterpart, Solomon Ubah, commended Attah’s gesture and intervention, describing it as rare achievement in todays society.
“I’m very happy. Chief Attah and his NGO have done what we have been yearning for. He perfected the release of five inmates in my Onitsha center as part of his birthday celebration which is something symbolic.
“At the centre, we are about 1,000 but now we would be 995. Also, the population at Awka center will reduce because he promised to do the same there today.
“We have been asking members of the public to always partner with us because some of the inmates have been here for a good number of years simply because they could not meet their bail terms,” Igwe said.
They advised the freed inmates to abstain from crime and embrace a good lifestyle as payback for freedom. They also urged other inmates to leverage various skill acquisition training at the centers while in detention to add value to themselves and to be useful when they regain freedom.
In separate interviews, seven of the freed inmates thanked Maduaburochukwu for the gesture and pledged to turn a new leaf when they get back into society.
