The Chief Imam for inmates at Ilesa Medium Correctional Centre in Osun State has called on Nigerians to shun crimes and criminalities that could lead them to prison.
The cleric who spoke on the condition of anonymity explained that Nigerian prison facilities can be equated to “earthly cemetery”, where the living conditions within the confinement are not anything that any sensible person should long for.
He made this known when an Islamic group, Daaru-r-Rahmat Society of Nigeria, visited inmates of the centre as part of lined up activities marking the 26th anniversary of the establishment of its society.
According to him, he never knew that his criminal acts would later cause him so much regrets in life, lamenting that the harsh life in prison is enough lessons for him.
He recounted how he participated in robbery operations at Osun State Polytechnic Iree students’ hostel, and was arrested by security agents before his eventual prosecution and sentencing.
The inmate added that his father had warned him against crimes but he refused to heed his warnings.
He said after he was the only person arrested among his four man robbery gang, he then realised that nemesis had caught up with him, stressing that his life became miserable after he was jailed.
Warning Nigerians who are into one form of criminal activities or the other to desist, he begged the government to come to the assistance of inmates of correctional centres.
According to him, “Help us tell Nigerians to be satisfied with what they have. Also, help us urge the government not to forsake us in this prison yard. Many of us are regretting what we did and we have repented.
“I have been in Ilesa prison since 2008. I have completed my degree education at the National Open University now. Many of us are still here (prison) because they don’t have the means to hire a lawyer.
Many engaged in armed robbery because of hunger and they are here with me. Many who are unable to pay their meagre fines are languishing in this prison and most of them have already spent 20 years.
“Many of us are in prison because we are not satisfied with what we have. My father warned me severally but I didn’t listen. I was the only person that was caught out of four of us that were robbed in Iree that day. If we can get out of this place someday, we will turn a new leaf and shun crimes because we know that anyone who completed a jail term and returned to criminal activities deserves a death sentence or be jailed for life.”
While addressing the inmates after presenting varieties of food items and clothes to them, the Ameer of the Daaru-r-Rahmat Society of Nigeria, Imam Muali Ọlawale, who led other members of the group to the Correctional facility, urged the inmates to amend their ways and reconcile their belief and faith in God.
Olawale charged them to cast their hope on God who is capable of rescuing them from incarceration.
“I don’t want you to see your stay in this prison as the end of your lifetime. It is not over for you. While you are here, learn virtues and imbibe in them so that you can easily exhibit this ethos whenever you regain freedom. It has been destined that you will be kept here for some time.
“Renew your hope and faith in God. One thing that the present government is preaching is hope and that everything will be well with us. Be strong and love one another. You will get to high places after leaving this prison,” the cleric admonished the inmates.
By Timothy Agbor, Osogbo
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