Thirty One awaiting trial inmates at the Nigerian Correctional Service, Agodi Custodial Centre, Ibadan have been granted pardon by the Chief Judge Of Oyo State, Justice Iyabo Yerima.
Another inmate was also given three months community service.
The 32 inmates who received the leniency included those pardoned for stealing, fighting, breach of peace, health grounds and legal advice.
Speaking with newsmen, Oyo State Chief Judge, justice Iyabo Yerima noted that the Nigerian prisons are highly congested and concerted effort would continue to be made to decongest the state custodial facilities.
Justice Yerima added that the state magistrate courts would continue to give expedite hearing to cases for speedy dispensation of justice.
Also speaking, Controller of corrections, Nigerian Correctional Service, Oyo State Command, Mr Abdulraheem Salami urged the freed inmates not to take the pardon for granted but work on themselves to become a better person
Mr Salami appealed to the Chief Judge to abide by her promise of visiting the custodial centres periodically to decongest the prisons.
He maintained that the Agodi Custodial Centre which was constructed to hold three hundred inmates now has one thousand two hundred and fifty inmates serving various sentence and awaiting trial.
