A total of nine (9) inmates regained their freedom from correctional facilities in Ilorin, Kwara State, following the payment of their fines by a philanthropist who chose to be anonymous.
LEADERSHIP reports that six of the inmates were freed from Oke-Kura prison, while the remaining three were freed from Mandala facility, both in Ilorin, the state capital.
It was gathered that the anonymous philanthropist, secured the release of the inmates after paying their fines from his annual Zakat (charity).
Zakat is the fourth pillar of Islam through which the wealthy Muslims give out a prescribed amount of their wealth in charity to the less-privileged members of the society, including those in captivity, debtors and prisoners.
LEADERSHIP findings showed that many inmates were being held in prison facilities due to their inability to pay various fines as options for their imprisonment.
The inability of some inmates to pay the fines imposed on them, upon conviction by the courts has become a major reason why the prisons are congested.
For instance, the four correctional centres in Kwara State-Oke- Kura, Mandala, Omu-Aran and Lafiagi which were designed to accommodate 600 inmates are now being occupied by 1,232 inmates as at Friday June 20, 2025.
Findings revealed that among the lucky nine inmates include a couple who regained their freedom just one day to clock one year in captivity.
When contacted, the Controller, Kwara State Command of Nigeria Correctional Services, Mr. Oyeniran Famuwagun, confirmed the release of the nine inmates from the Oke-kura and Mandala Correctional Centres after the philanthropist who sought anonymity paid their various fines.
“Many inmates at Oke-Kura Prison are being detained for inability to pay various fines. So if we have more donors like this anonymous philanthropist, more inmates could be freed and the prisons will thus become decongested,” Famuwagun said.
He emphasised the need for fellow citizens to emulate the philanthropist in the nation‘s collective efforts to decongest the prisons and make inmates better reformed citizens after completion of their various terms of imprisonment or regained their freedoms.
While commending the federal government for its efforts in ensuring the wellbeing of the inmates, Famuwagun said that more still needs to be done in the provision of more bed spaces for the facilities in Kwara State, especially at Oke-kura.
He acknowledged the support of the Kwara State government to the Command, citing the recent construction of the road leading to the Command’s headquarters in Ilorin and the donation of borehole to the Oke-Kura Centre by the wife of the governor, Ambassador Olufolake Abdulrazaq.
However, Famuwagun further appealed for provision of more logistics like vehicles for the Command, stressing inadequate vehicles to convey inmates to courts.
Famuwagun also called for the relocation of Oke-kura Correctional Centre from its present location in the heart of Ilorin metropolis to a new site, to allow for the provision of more facilities like vocational centres and study centres for National Open University (NOUN) for the inmates to be well reformed.
He, therefore, appealed to the Kwara State government to provide more support to the Command particularly in the areas of vehicles and staff accommodation.
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