Acting Chief Judge Pindiga, donates skill acquisition items to Gombe, Billiri custodial centres
Chima Azubuike, Gombe
Acting Chief Judge of Gombe State, Justice Muazu Pindiga, has donated sewing machines, clippers, ceiling fans, power generators and carpentry materials to Gombe and Billiri custodial centres.
Presenting the items on behalf of the Acting Chief of the state; Justice Pindiga, Director of Public Prosecution, Abdulsallam Kumo, said the committee was in the custodial centre on behalf of government to present skill acquisition items for the empowerment of inmates.
He revealed that the donation of equipment was sequel to the Acting Chief Judge’s official visit, where he promised to assist the inmates.
He said, “Today, what we are seeing is the realization of the promise of the Acting Chief Judge of Gombe State, through the support of the state government under the able leadership of Governor Muhammadu Yahaya, to assist inmates with items.”
Also speaking, Gombe State Correctional Service Controller Amadu Garba, said the items received would help them in rehabilitating inmates towards becoming good citizens.
He noted that the Correctional Service remained grateful to the Acting Chief Judge, the governor; Muhammadu Yahaya and the people for the support.
Garba added, “Formerly we were lacking these type of things, now they have been provided. It will assist them in one way or the other like clipper would help in cutting their hair and the tailoring machine would help them in learning a trade, so that when they leave this custodial centre, they will have something to do, especially in the rehabilitation process.”
On his part, The officer in charge of Gombe Medium Security Custodial centre, ACC Abdulazeez Mohammed, lauded the government for the gesture.
According to him, due to the Covid-19 protocols, the number has been fluctuating to slightly above 900, adding that alot were released before completing the facility’s compulsory 2 weeks isolation process.
Mohammed said, “We have a very vast population here but no matter how little it will make impact as you are aware we are here to reform people who are deviants, most of them committed crimes in one way or the other because they are not employed or they don’t have hand work to due to lack of skill acquisition.
“We will advise them to make judicious use of the items as we hand it over to them. Government should keep on putting effort in this perspective, the whole inmate population is 951 and it is maybe because of Covid-19 that the number is reduced. Under normal circumstances that will propel to over 1,000. Due to the covid, when they come afresh we have to isolate them for atleast 2 weeks, during the 2 weeks there won’t be no new admission of inmates from the court.
“So until we evacuate them from the isolation. So before the isolation time frame is over they have been released on bail, the number keeps fluctuating. In other circumstances could propel to 1,400. Originally the capacity is for 379 official capacity, therefore the number has tripled. When items like this are brought should be brought in large number so that we can teach them.”
The Assistant Controller of Custodial noted that out the current 951 inmates, over 600 are currently awaiting trial, blaming it on judicial bottlenecks and police investigations.
“The larger segment of the figure are those awaiting trial, they can spill to 600 the convicted are not more than 300 not up to 400. Due to the bottlenecks in the judicial system, the police that usually investigate cases, prosecute, that is why some of them can stay for so many months, leading to years,” Mohammed added.
