Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has written to Governors of all the 36 states on order of President Muhamamdu Buhari’s approval and authorization for urgent measures to be taken towards the speedy decongest correctional centres in the country in view of the COVID–19 pandemic.
In a statement issued on Friday by the Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Umar Gwandu, the Minister decried that from available records, the inmate population at the various custodial centres across the country presently stands at 74,127 out of which 52,226 inmates are awaiting trial and most of these centres are presently housing inmates beyond their capacities.
Malami said the development pose a potent threat to the health of the inmates and the public in general in view of the present circumstances, hence the need for urgent steps to bring the situation under control.
According to the Minister, the governors should release all deserving inmates who have spent six years or more in custody and those who have no confirmed criminal cases against them.
other considerable inmates included the aged, those with terminal illness, low risk offenders, those with no sufficient legal basis to remain in custody, convicts of minor offences with or without option of fines and those who have less than three years term left to serve having served a substantial term of their jail term for offences that attract five years and above.
Malami also demanded that payment of fines may be made in favour of inmates convicted of lesser offences with option of fine, who are in custody because of their inability to pay such fines.
The Minister also said that President Muhamadu Buhari has approved that State Governors should take measures to facilitate the setting of their respective state Prerogative of Mercy Committees in order to recommend deserving cases for release on grounds of pardon or clemency in line with Constitutional provisions.
