Buhari moves to release Prisoners from Correctional Facilities

President Muhammadu Buhari has made moves to release some prisoners from correctional Facilities due to Coronavirus.
Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, stated that the President was concerned that around seventy percent of the inmates were awaiting trial.

In a statement released on Friday by Umar Jibrilu, Malami’s spokesman, the category of prisoners to be released were revealed.

“The Committee requested that Mr. President may wish to consider his powers of Prerogative of Mercy in speeding of decongestion, while Governors of States and their CJs be encouraged to visit correctional service formations for the purpose of decongestion”, it read.

“The Committee is of the view that the Federal Executive Council and the State Governments be encouraged to consider payment of fines in respect of minor offences for those categories of inmates that could not afford paying of same in respect of offences that attract fines arising from the convictions.”

“The categories of inmates that will be considered are those that stayed in Correctional Service Centres for a period above ten years and those that stayed as inmate for a longer period without any documentation relating to their detention.

“Others are those that have the option of fine, those that have been in the Centers on holding charges in respect of offences that the Magistrate that sent them to Correctional Service Formations do not have the jurisdiction to try the cases, among others.”

However, those excluded are inmates serving jail terms for capital offences such as murder, kidnapping, armed robbery, rape and treason among others.