A woman, Rahama Husseini, jailed for killing her husband has been set free after seven years in prison.
Husseuni was set free along with 30 other inmates released last week from the Kano prison in Kano State.
Rahama was said to have been forcibly married off by her father in 2015 while she was 14 years.
According to a statement by Dr. Umar Gwandu, the spokesman to the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, Rahama’s husband died three days after the wedding during a struggle that ensued while he attempted to consummate the marriage.
She was later granted state pardon by Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, who promised that the Kano State Government would support her rehabilitation process.
She spent seven years in jail.
Gwnadu said the release of Rahama and the others was facilitated by the Presidential Committee on Correctional Centres Reform and Decongestion headed by a former Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Justice Ishaq Bello.
“The committee was in Kano for an on-the- spot assessment of condition of correctional centres and inmates, with a view to making payment of fines for inmates, who were convicted for minor offences with option of fines, but unable to pay the fines as well as general review of peculiar cases.
“During the visits 19 inmates were released through payment of fines by the Federal Ministry of Justice, three were released through payment of fines by the Buni Yadi Foundation and two were released as well through payment made by Policy Vault Africa.
“Similarly, additional seven inmates were released due to old age.
“The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) brought to the attention of the Chairman, Hon. (Dr.) Justice I. U Bello(Rtd), the case of Rahama Husseini.
“Representatives of UNODC and Buni Yadi Foundation were also present to lend their voice and support to the release of Rahama.
“It might be recalled that on the 30th of October 2017,the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami,SAN constituted and inaugurated the Presidential Committee on Correctional Reforms and Decongestion.
“Over 10,000 inmates have been released through the committee. In recent times the committee focused more attention on the reformation of the juvenile justice system.”
