The Federal Government has revealed that a total of 2,600 inmates spread across various custodial centres benefitted from Amnesty, granted to them as part of measures to decongest the prisons and prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, made this known on Monday during a presentation Lecture at the Third Annual Lecture on Economy and Security during “COVID-19” at the Faculty of Arts, Ekiti State University, Ado -Ekiti, Ekiti State.
He noted that the timely strategic and aggressive approach put up by the Federal Government during the novel “COVID-19” pandemic since the year 2020 is today been counted as successful giant strides that have positively impacted the lives of inmates in Nigerian’s Correctional Centers.
He said the initiative of the Federal Ministries of Interior and Justice to secure Presidential Pardon and Amnesty for some inmates while also recommending others to State Governments for release was helpful.
Aregbesola said, “A total of 2,600 inmates spread across various custodial Centres benefitted from the Amnesty.
“These included 885 convicts who could not pay their fines totalling ₦21.4million which the Government paid on their behalf to enable them to get their freedom. From this number, 41 inmates were Federal Convicts,” he said.
He commended the Faculty for organizing the event which will remain memorable in the minds of Nigerians for a long time to come.
Speaking further on the yardstick and criteria used by the Federal Government to arrive at the selection of inmates to be granted the Presidential Pardon amongst others are; old age, ill-health, convicts serving three years and above, who have less than six months to serve; inmates with mental health issues as well as those with options of fines not exceeding ₦50,000 who have no pending cases.
The Minister stated that the Federal Government had on March 9, 2020, set up a Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, made up of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha as Chairman; National Coordinator, Dr Sani Aliyu, the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, and other members, adding that to this effect, strategic high quality and sensitive equipment and structures were put in place to enable relevant Agencies to contain the disease in Nigeria.
“As is well known, the disease wreaked havoc on the population, latest figures from NCDC indicates that there have been 168,442 positive cases with 2,122 fatalities, some were very close friends and VIPs that I know and have worked with”, Aregbesola said.
The Minister noted that “COVID-19” had its effect in Nigeria but the Government was able to mitigate and reduce the number of casualties. More enduring was that the pandemic further brought to the fore the capacity of the Nigerian people to be resilient in the face of adversity.
The Minister was quoted in a statement in Abuja by the Director, Press, Mrs Blessing Lere-Adams, to have said that the Federal Government was quick to respond that contained the pandemic unlike other countries with advanced high technology, yet were worst hit like China USA and others.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of Ekiti State University, Professor Edward Olanikpeku commended the Minister for honouring their invitation despite his tight schedule, he described him as a “Golden Fish” not only in politics but in every aspect of human endeavour.
Olanipeku stressed that we all alike must consciously keep to COVID-19 protocols.
Also Speaking during the event is the Chairman of the occasion,and the Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt Hon.Funminiyi Afuye, who noted that the COVID-19 pandemic did pose a great threat or hardship on the citizens yet we all are gradually pulling through it safely as we strictly adhere to all the Presidential Task Force Protocols.
It was a very colourful ceremony that was well attended. Earlier the Minister had paid a courtesy visit to the Oba of Ekiti in Ado Ekiti.
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