COVID-19: FG Committed to further Decongest Prisons, says Malami 

Against the background of the prevailing pandemic Covid – 19 health challenges, the Federal Government said it  has taken bold steps to further decongest Correctional Service formations.

The Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN made this known in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Dr. Umar Gwandu on Friday 27th March, 2020.

Malami disclosed  that President Muhamadu Buhari has been mindful of the need to decongest Correctional Centres with particular regards to the fact that around seventy percent of the inmates of the Nigerian Correctional Service Centres are awaiting trial.

He said that President Muhammadu Buhari has constituted the Presidential Committee for the decongestion of the Correctional Centers across the country. The Committee which is coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Justice,  has recorded great success.

The Committee comprising of the Honourable Minister of Interior, the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation, Chairman of
the Presidential Committee on Correctional Service Reforms and Decongestion; the Chief Judge of the FCT High Court and the Comptroller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, in order to reconsider what measures could be put in place for decongestion of Correctional Service
Centres in view of the present health challenges.

The Committee recommended that Courts, Federal Ministry of Justice, the Correctional Service formations, Governors, Attorney-Generals of States, among others be encouraged to intensify actions to ensure that the Correctional Service formations are not further congested taking into consideration the prevailing health challenges associated with Covid- 19.

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

The Committee is also 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.

Part of the resolutions were also that Correctional Service should, as well, consider the possibility of moving inmates from congested Correctional Service Formations to
centres that are less congested and have space for accommodation of inmates, among others.

By way of long term measures, the possibility of amending the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by way of considering an amendment that will  move the Correctional Service formations from Exclusive  to Concurrent Legislative List among others is equally considered.

The categories of inmates that will be considered most are those that stayed in Correctional Service Centres for a period above ten years, those that stayed as inmate for a longer period without any documentation relating to their detention, 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, but excluding those inmates serving jail terms for capital offences such as murder, kidnapping, armed robbery, rape and treason among others.

Ogundoro Modupe

Deputy Director ( Information )