Yuletide: NGOs Feed 800 Inmates of Umuahia Custodial Centre, Pay Fines to Free Four Convicts

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

The inmates of the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Umuahia have been made feel the joy of the yuletide celebration through the charitable activities of the Global Compassion Coalition (GCC), an international non-governmental organisation.

The over 800 inmates of the Custodial Centre were fed with sumptuous meals, just as other Nigerians were in joyous mood of the 2024 Christmas festivities.

GCC carried out its charitable gesture through its Nigeria chapter, the Compassion Connectors Nigeria, in partnership with the Dorcas Foundation and Nigeria’s 2024 Paris Paralympic gold and silver medalists, Onyi Gift Mark and Ogechi Nwogu, respectively.

President of the Compassion Connectors Nigeria, Crusader Uche Uwalaka, told journalists that the organisation has the passion of helping the poor and prison inmates hence the visit to the Custodial Centre to make them feel the essence of Christmas.

He stated that the Nigeria chapter was currently implementing a prison project tagged Compassion Champion involving Compassion Cup 2024, an annual competition now in its second edition.

The football match was played between GCC Stars and Alabama Stars FC at the correctional centre football pitch with the latter coming out tops.

Prizes were given to the winners in various categories, including best team, and best players.

Uwalaka also said that his organization was assisting in meeting the educational needs of the inmates by contributing in the payment of the last WAEC and NECO examination fees.

Aside from feeding the inmates and treating occasion, the visit by the NGOs also brought freedom to some convicted inmates who were held back for their failures to pay the option of fines imposed on them.

The Founder of Projeft Dorcas, Uche Ama-Ohaka, who preached at the church service that heralded the celebrations, announced that his foundation had already paid fines ranging between N30,000 and N200,000 to secure the release of four inmates.

He said: “Though some of you could be there for offences you may not have committed, or by circumstantial reasons, I urge you to use this  period to change your ways of life. If you don’t change here I wonder where else you will change”.

He gave the names of the inmates whose freedoms were paid for to include Kalu Peter, Joseph Sunday, Ikechukwu Isaiah, and Nzeako Ikwulene, adding that they were going home for exhibiting good conduct during their incarceration.

In his admonition of the inmates, Pastor Ugochukwu Uchegbu of the Winners’ Chapel, Umuahia, urged them to get closer to God and reflect on their past ways of life.

He told the inmates that their incarceration should be an opportunity “to renew your faith in God and create a new vision for yourselves afterwards”.

The Deputy Comptroller of the Custodial Centre, Orjiakor Mabia, had while welcoming the Christmas visitors thanked the Global Compassion Coalition, Dorcas Foundation for their love and concern for the inmates.

He called on other charitable organisations to assist in helping the Centre overcome its challenges that include inadequate clothes,  mattresses and other items needed for the comfort of inmates.