Defense and Security

Aregbesola Seeks Decongestion Of Prisons Over Coronavirus

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The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola has called for immediate decongestion of all correctional centres in the country as measure to ensure that the Coronavirus disease does not find its way into any of the centres.

The minister made the call during an emergency meeting held in Abuja Thursday on how to manage the custodial centres of the Nigerian Correctional Service during the COVID-19 pandemic.

He called on the Attorney General of the Federation, States Chief Judges, Governors and other stakeholders to immediately identify measures to be taken for quick decongestion of custodial centres across the country as a way of preventing the spread of disease at the centres.

The Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Services, Ja’afaru Ahmed said the overcrowded facilities posed a serious threat to the inmates at this time of COVID-19 pandemic.

Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation Abubakar Malami called for proper profiling of all inmates in the country with view to having a joint arrangement with governors and State Chief Judges for speedy trial of inmates which constitutes the largest population at custodial centres.

Part of the resolutions of the meeting was a call on President Muhammadu Buhari to request State Governors to visit custodial centres in their states, so as to consider and grant amnesty to deserving inmates.