The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami , has written to governors of all the 36 states of the federation drawing their attention to President Muhammadu Buhari’s approval and authorization for urgent measures to be taken towards the speedy decongestion of correctional/custodial centres in the country in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Malami’s letter, which was disclosed in a statement by his media aide, Dr Umar Gwandu, noted that available records showed that 52,226 out of the present 74,127 inmates are Awaiting Trial Persons , adding that most of these centres are presently housing inmates beyond their capacities. “In light of the above, Mr. President requests all Executive Governors to request their state Chief Judges to embark on visits to all correctional/custodial centres within their respective states to identify and release deserving inmates where that has not been done already,” the letter reads in part.
According to the minister, other inmates to be considered 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.