The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) on Thursday
disclosed that it has released about 3,751 inmates, comprising convicts and
awaiting-trial persons, who met the criteria set by the federal government.
President Muhammadu Buhari had ordered the
decongestion of detention centres in the country to sustain the fight against the
spread of COVID-19.
Consequently, the Minister of Interior, Rauf
Aregbesola on April 9, 2020, during the flag-off of the Presidential Amnesty at
Medium Security Custodial Centre at Kuje-Abuja, announced that a total of 2,600
would benefit from the release from prisons in the 36 states and Federal
Capital Territory.
But in a statement signed by the NCoS, Augustine
Njoku, yesterday in Abuja, he said some states Chief Judges during the jail
delivery processes granted bail/release to some awaiting-trial persons,
cumulating in the release of 3,751 inmates so far.
“The NCoS wishes to state that the process is
ongoing as other measures are in place to ensure continuity, and the final
figures will be made public at the end of the exercise.
“A breakdown of the release shows that 2,740
convicts and 1011 awaiting-trial inmates have so far benefited from the
exercise.
“The Controller General of Corrections Service, Ja’afaru
Ahmed, wishes to use this medium to express his profound gratitude to all the
state governors, Chief Judges and other stakeholders in the criminal justice system,
who have worked tirelessly to carry out this exercise and encourage its
continuity.
“The Service is assuring Nigerians that all inmates
qualified for the amnesty and jail delivery will be released accordingly,” he stated.
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