The Kaduna State Government has begun disbursing N9.7 million to 97 former inmates recently granted clemency by Governor Uba Sani, in a move officials say is aimed at breaking the cycle of reoffending and easing their return to society.

Each beneficiary is receiving N100,000 as a start-up grant, following their release from various custodial centres under the governor’s constitutional prerogative of mercy. The state also cleared fines and compensation for some inmates whose continued detention was tied to their inability to pay.

The latest phase of the exercise took place at the Kaduna Medium Security Custodial Centre, where officials handed over the funds and briefed the ex-inmates on how the support was expected to be used.

Officer in charge of the facility, Dalhatu Ibrahim, described the intervention as a significant boost to correctional work, arguing that financial support at the point of release can be decisive in whether former inmates rebuild their lives or slip back into crime.

“By paying the fines of the inmates and giving them financial assistance, this will encourage them to go and do what they are supposed to do. They are now set to be reintegrated into society,” Ibrahim said, adding that the gesture aligns with the core mandate of the Nigerian Correctional Service.

He urged the beneficiaries to treat the money as seed capital rather than a windfall. “We advise them to use the money as working capital to start a business or begin life afresh,” he said, warning that poor choices could squander a rare opportunity.

Representing the governor at the event, the Senior Special Assistant on Protocol, Alhaji Mohammed Suleiman, said the payment signalled the completion of the clemency package promised by Governor Sani. He reiterated the administration’s stance that mercy must go hand in hand with responsibility.

Suleiman cautioned the beneficiaries against returning to crime and urged them to become advocates of lawful conduct in their communities, stressing that the government’s investment in their future came with expectations of good behaviour.

For many of the ex-inmates, the support is a lifeline. One beneficiary, Chuks Solomon from Ebonyi State, said the grant offered a realistic chance to start over. “We very much appreciate what he has done for us. We thank him for giving us the money because some of us will use it as capital to start a business,” he said.

Another beneficiary, Abubakar Umar, speaking in Hausa, described the intervention as a source of renewed hope, saying it had restored their belief that society was willing to give them a second chance.