FG Plans Mass Release Of Prisoners To Decongest Correctional Centers

By Akinwale Kasali

The Federal Government is planning to decongest Correctional Centers in the country.

Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola disclosed that the FG is planning on having a meeting with State Governors in decongesting Prisons and Correctional Centers around the country by 30 Percent, as the influx of Prisoners in these centers has made it inhabitable for humans.

Media Adviser to the former Osun State Governor, Sola Fasure, stated that interfacing with the Governors to agree on the mass release of at least 30 per cent was necessary as more than 90 per cent of the inmates were being held for contravening various state laws, noting that over 70 per cent of the 75,635 inmates at present were awaiting trial.

He stressed that some of the inmates are being kept under the legal jurisdiction of their respective States, adding that the decongestion of the 253 Custodial centres nationwide was necessary as some of the inmates have no reason to remain in custody.

“The Minister has written to the Governors Forum, but he has not met with them because they will have to communicate with him and give him a date.

“He wrote to them with the request that he wants to meet with them, but he is yet to get a response. In other words, the meeting has not been held.”

Following this development, the FG had on Tuesday revealed that over 12,000 inmates were released from various correctional centres across the country within the last six years in line with the policy of prison decongestion.

Abubakar Malami, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister  of Justice, revealed this to members of the Senate Committee on Judiciary , Human Rights and Legal Matters during 2023 budget defence session with the committee .

Malami, who made the declaration in response to question from Senator Ajibola Basiru ( APC Osun Central ) , said the Federal Government was able to decongest prisons across the country through policy actions aside from the Administration of Criminal Justice Act , meant for expeditious dispensation of Justice.

“When this government came on board in 2015, the problem of prison congestion was at the front burner of national discourse , which made President Muhammadu Buhari to set machineries in motion in different ways for required solution.

“One of such machineries set in motion was a presidential committee set up for prison decongestion which liaised with other stakeholders in the justice sector for way out  .

“Aside from the committee, Mr  President himself also wrote letters to the 36 states governors and Chief Judges of the states  for required visitations to prisons and exercise of prerogative of mercies from time to time .

‘In one of such visitations made by the Governor of Kano State , Abdullahi Ganduje  , about 500 inmates were granted pardon in one day, totality of which had led to release of over 12, 000 inmates across the country within the last six years .

“Special attention was given to awaiting trial persons  who constitute the bulk of the inmates across the various correctional centres in the country by taking Magistrates and Judges to the centres for on the spot dispensation of Justice”.