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COVID-19: President Buhari Grants Amnesty To 2,600 Inmates

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A few weeks after President Muhammadu Buhari consented to free some individuals from correctional centres to reduce congestion, reports emerging at this time affirms that another set of 2,600 inmates has been granted amnesty.

Speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, April 9, the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola hinted that inmates who will be fortunate of the freedom include those who are 60-years of age or above, those severely ill, those with unstable mental, among others.

Aregbesola noted in his statement at the headquarters of the Nigerian Correctional Service in Abuja that the Federal Government has considered to let go of the 2,600 inmates as part of measures to decongest prison facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said, “out of the 2,600 inmates, 70 inmates will be released today from Kuje maximum custodial centre.”

“those eligible for the pardon include inmates that are 60 years and above; those suffering from ill-health likely to result in death; convicts serving three years and above and have less than six months to serve; inmates with mental issues; and inmates with an option of fine not exceeding N50,000.”

“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.”

Aregbesola added: “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.”

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has told Nigerians to blame President Muhammadu Buhari’s led administration should the cases of Coronavirus increases after the invitation of Chinese doctors into the country.