Nigerian Army Officers Wives Association (NAOWA) on Wednesday paid fines and freed 16 inmates from Suleja Correctional Centre as parts of activities to mark the ongoing 2020 Chief of Army Staff conference.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the freed inmates comprise 10 males and three females who were given various jail terms with options of fines of different amounts.
President of NAOWA, Mrs Umma-kalsum Buratai, represented by her Deputy, Mrs Jamilat Adeosun, also paid for transportation fare of three freed inmates including a flight ticket for one foreign female inmate.
NAOWA also presented food items such as yams, bags of rice and other consumables to the centre for the upkeep of inmates.
Many female inmates were also presented with packs containing different consumables and blankets.
Buratai said the visit to the correctional centre was part of the charity work undertaken by NOAWA during COAS conference annually.
She said the gesture was to also assure the inmates that society had not rejected them.
The NAOWA president urged them to see the centre as a place of correction and not condemnation.
Burutai also urged the inmates to be of good conduct while serving their jail terms so as to come out better.
The Controller, Nigerian Correctional Centre, FCT Command, Mr Abdulrahman Maiyaki, said the visit by NAOWA was a demonstration of their usual charity toward supporting humanity.
Maiyaki, while commending the gesture, said that NAOWA had been of great support to the nation’s correctional centres over the years.
“They have come to our correctional centre in Suleja and they have paid the fines of some inmates as well as donate some consumables and we have the feeling that with this, the inmates are going to celebrate their festivities better.
“With what has happened, the inmates will have a sense of belonging that they are not being rejected and that people are out there who care for their welfare.
“With the release of some inmates today, it will reduce the tension in the centre and some of them will learn lesson.
Earlier, the President of NAOWA, Mrs Buratai, laid foundation for the construction of 20 shops for soldiers’ wives at Yar’Adua Barracks.
She also inaugurated two solar powered boreholes at Mambila Barracks Extension to boost water supply in the barracks.
Burutai said the projects were to compliment the Nigerian Army in providing basic amenities for the benefit of personnel families, especially basic social amenities such as water supply, education and health.
“I am sure most of us are already aware of the tremendous benefit of the Army Command and NAOWA Hospital to our families.
“Apart from providing us with a standard modern health care facility, the hospital is also a veritable platform for dependents of officers and soldiers to be gainfully employed.
“We have also over the years upgraded all NAOWA schools, established new NAOWA Secondary School in Kurudu among others.
“All these are available to benefit us at an affordable cost,” he said.
She assured that NAOWA would continue to do more in the area of education, health and skills acquisition programmes. (NAN)
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