Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the release of 2,600 inmates across prisons nationwide in a bid to curb the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).
The minister of interior, Rauf Aregbesola made this disclosure at a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday.
According to the minister, the government has decided to grant amnesty to the inmates.
Aregbesola said the affected inmates include those: 60 years and above, suffering from ill-health likely to end in death, serving at least three years and have less than six months to serve, with mental issues, and with options of fine not exceeding N50,000.
He said 41 affected federal inmates and 29 others in the federal capital territory (FCT) totaling 70 will be released on Wednesday from the Kuje Custodial Centre in Abuja.
“This amnesty will not apply to inmates sentenced for violent extreme offences such as terrorism, kidnapping, armed banditry, rape, human trafficking, culpable homicide and so on,” he added.
He said governors of the 36 states under whose jurisdiction most of the inmates were incarcerated will complete the exercise “in line with the federal principle”.
