Some prison inmates in the custody of the Okaka Medium Prison Facility and the Port Harcourt Maximum Security Prison in Bayelsa and Rivers States respectively have sent a Save-Our-Soul message to the State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, seeking a review of over eighty-six cases of alleged armed robbery, murder and kidnapping.
The prison inmates, made up of indigenes of the State, said the decision to contact the newly sworn-in Governor, Senator Douye Diri was based on his State-wide broadcast which gave Bayelsa Indigenes new hope for a fresh start under his administration.
The concerned inmates, in the letter to Governor Douye Diri and signed by Eldred Jonah, Jackson Feutebobai, Diepreye Olayo, and Victoria Ambakaderemo, called on the new Governor to tamper justice with mercy, and have their cases reviewed.
“We are glad that a man of compassion and fellow-feeling has come into office as Governor of Bayelsa State,”
“We have no doubt that Senator Douye Diri will run a people-oriented government that will call into play the personal qualities for which he is famous”
“We can tell the direction of his government already by his resounding call for reconciliation amongst the good people of Bayelsa, in spite of political affiliations. We pray God to give the new government the spirit of empathy to enable it identify with the ideals of the prison as a correctional facility that would serve to make better citizens of those behind bars when they regain their freedom”.
“We also enjoin the new Governor to put his powers of clemency to good use in a bid to evolve a better Bayelsa in which everyone is truly reconciled to the singular ideal of developing the state in the greater interest of future generations”.
“We, the inmates,are reacting to Governor Diri’s maiden broadcast calling for fellowship to all stakeholders and progressive-minded individuals, at home and in diaspora, to join hands with the new government and consolidate the building of a new Bayelsa”