Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
As part of efforts to decongest prisons across the country, the Federal Government has written to State Governors, hinting them on its plan for mass release of inmates.
Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, who disclosed this said he had written to the Nigerian Governors Forum to request a meeting in order to decongest jails around the country.
The Minister’s Media Adviser, Sola Fasure, said his boss had scheduled a meeting with state governors to agree on the mass release of at least 30 per cent of convicts from correctional facilities across the country.
According to him, the interface was necessary as more than 90 per cent of the inmates were being held for flouting various state laws.
He said that over 70 per cent of the 75,635 inmates were currently awaiting trial.
The Minister noted that federal offenders among the inmates were far fewer than 10 per cent.
He argued that the decongestion of the 253 custodial centres nationwide had become necessary, saying that some of the inmates have no justifiable reason to remain in custody.
