Nigeria’s federal government released over 12,000 inmates from various correctional centres across the country within the last six years to decongest the nation’s prisons.
Abubakar Malami, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice disclosed this to members of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters during the ministry’s budget defence.
Malami, who made the declaration in response to question from Senator Ajibola Basiru (APC – Osun Central), said the Federal Government was able to decongest the prisons across the country through the implementation of the policy actions aside the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, meant for expeditious dispensation of Justice.
“When this government came on board in 2015, the problem of prison congestion was at the front burner of national discourse, which made President Muhammadu Buhari to set machinery in motion in different ways for required solution.
“One of such machineries was a Presidential Committee set up for Prison Decongestion which liaised with other stakeholders in the Justice sector for way out.
“Aside the committee, Mr President himself also wrote letters to the 36 States Governors and Chief Judges of the States for required visitations to prisons and exercise of prerogative of mercies from time to time.
“In one of such visitations made by the Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, about 500 inmates were granted pardon in one day.
“Those so far released are over 12,000 inmates across the country within the last six years.
“Special attention was given to awaiting trial cases who constitute the bulk of the inmates across the various correctional centres in the country by taking Magistrates and Judges to the Centres for on the spot dispensation of Justice.
“The guideline on non-custodial sentences issued in 2020 also helped to tremendously reduce inmates across the various correctional centres.
“The problem as far as this government is concerned, is more or less, a thing of the past now, because in line with the policy guidelines in place, no correctional centre today that is without necessary space, will receive an inmate,” he said.
Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC – Ekiti Central), said the 2023 budget estimates for the Federal Ministry of Justice and its agencies as contained in the Appropriation Bill submitted by President Muhammadu Buhari, is N71.291billion.
The total sum according to him, is inclusive of allocations to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and statutory transfer to the National Human Rights Commission.
He commended the President for increasing the budget of the Council of Legal Education from N2.7billion in the 2022 to N10.12billion in 2023.
The increase he said will enable the Council to put the various Law Schools in proper shape.