President Muhammadu Buhari has urged Ibrahim Muhammad, chief
justice of Nigeria (CJN) to initiate steps to free “deserving” inmates across
Nigeria in view of the coronavirus pandemic.
The president made the call on Tuesday via a letter
addressed to the CJN in which he said state chief justices can immediately
visit the prisons to free such inmates.
Nigeria’s prisons are known to be overcrowded as about 70
percent of the over 74,000 current inmates are awaiting trial.
In a statement, Femi Adesina, spokesman of the president,
quoted Buhari as saying the overcrowded facilities pose threat to the health of
the inmates at this time “hence the need for urgent steps to bring the
situation under control.”
“It has become imperative for Your Lordship to request State
Chief Judges to embark on immediate visit to all custodial/correctional centres
within their respective States to identify and release deserving inmates where
that has not been done already,” Buhari said in the letter.
“It is expected that particular attention should be on the
aged, those with health issues, low risk offenders, those with no sufficient
legal basis to remain in custody, inmates convicted for minor offences with or
without option of fines and inmates who have less than 3 years term left to
serve having served a substantial term of their service for offences that
attract 5 years and above.
“Payment of fines may be made in favour of inmates convicted
of lesser offences with option of fine, who are in custody because of their
inability to pay such fines.”
The president also urged the CJN to consider putting in
place special courts in all states and Abuja to try cases of serious offences
such as armed robbery and kidnapping “in order to facilitate speedy trials.”
“There is the need to ensure that the Chief Judges of States
and FCT High Courts direct lower courts to comply with requirements of the
Administration of Criminal Justice Act/Law in issuing remand warrants in
criminal cases especially in cases which are not within their jurisdiction,” he
added.
According to him, such compliance will will regulate the
number of inmates awaiting trial being admitted into the prisons.
The federal government had earlier granted amnesty to 2,600
inmates to curb the spread of the coronavirus in prisons.
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unu no wan hear word abi? with covid19? everybody go hear word. ma ndi health sector, prisons, security, intelligence, diversification, economy, palliatives, conditional cash transfer, environmental sanitation, (nobody free pass bohla for my area, abi your waste for house no dey smell?), social distancing, corruption is not even on the list anymore???
ReplyDeleteuna go hear word!