FG to Release 2,600 Prisoners to Decongest Prison Facilities

• FG to Release 2,600 Prisoners to Decongest Prison Facilities

In an effort to decongest prison facilities amid rising cases of coronavirus in Nigeria, the Federal Government on Thursday announced it would grant 2,600 prisoners amnesty.

Rauf Aregbesola, the Minister of Interior, disclosed this at a conference held on Thursday in Abuja at the headquarters of the Nigerian Correctional Service.

He stated that not less than 70 inmates would be processed and released on Thursday.

He, however, explained that the inmates granted amnesty were those from 60 years and above, those suffering from ill-health that likely to result in death, convicts serving three years and above and have less than six months to serve, inmates with mental issues and those with an option of fine not more than N50,000.

He said, “In a symbolic gesture of the amnesty given to the 2,600 inmates across Nigeria, 41 Federal inmates and 29 FCT inmates making a total of 70 inmates who met the above criteria will be released today from the Kuje Custodial Centre in Abuja.

“This amnesty will not apply to inmates sentenced for violent extreme offences such as terrorism, kidnapping, armed banditry, rape, human trafficking, culpable homicide and so on.

“The Governors of the 36 states under whose jurisdiction most of the inmates were incarcerated will complete the exercise in line with the federal principle.”