The Federal Government has revealed plans to release 4, 068 inmates across the nation as part of measures to decongest Nigeria’s correctional centres.
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo while speaking at the flag-off ceremony in Abuja had said that the program is aimed at indigent inmates who can’t afford to pay their fines.
He said the Federal Government has raised N585 million to be used for the payment of fines to ensure the release of 4, 068 inmates across the federation.
The minister had further said that the money was donated by corporate bodies and philanthropists for the particular purpose.
The minister remarked that the initiative was targeted at inmates with fines and compensation that do not exceed N1 million, emphasising that the government’s commitment to change custodial and non-custodial facilities was established to ally with international human rights standards and effective correctional practices and has been in accordance with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision.
The Ministers of Justice and heads of anti-corruption agencies from all the countries making up the Economic Community of West African States, –ECOWAS, had been in attendance at the meeting.
On his part, the Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Haliru Nababa, lauded the minister for the brilliant initiative.
