Over 12,000 inmates freed in six years - Malami

Over 12,000 inmates have been released from various correctional centres across the country in the last six years, Nigeria’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has said.

He disclosed this on Tuesday when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters for his ministry’s 2023 budget defence session.

Mr Malami’s revelation was in response to questions posed to him by members of the panel on the federal government’s inability to decongest the prisons across the country through policy actions aside the Administration of Criminal Justice Act – which is meant for expeditious dispensation of justice.

He explained that decongesting the prisons was top on the President Muhammadu Buhari’s to-do list upon assumption of office in 2015. And to this regard, a Presidential Committee was set up for prison decongestion which liaised with other relevant bodies in the justice sector for a way out.

The AGF’s comment comes about seven months after the president pardoned some prisoners including two former governors – Joshua Dariye of Plateau State and ex-Governor Jolly Nyame of Taraba State – an act that generated controversy and criticisms.

The pardon, he said, was based on the advice of the Council of States. Both men were serving jail terms after they were convicted of stealing billions of naira of public funds while they were governors. Their convictions were upheld by the Supreme Court.

PREMIUM TIMES also reported how 300 inmates are being scrutinised for presidential pardon and how the Interior Minister, Rauf Aregbesola, said he wants 30% of Nigerian inmates released to decongest the prisons.

Addressing the panel, Mr Malami said the president also wrote letters to the 36 state governors and chief judges of the states for required visitations to prisons and exercise of the 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, totality of which had led to release of over 12,000 inmates across the country within the last six years,” he said.

“Special attention was given to awaiting trial persons 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.”

He further explained that the guideline on non-custodial sentences issued in 2020, has also helped in tremendous reduction of inmates across the various correctional centres.

“The problem, as far as this government is concerned, is a thing of the past now. In line with policy guidelines in place, no correctional centre today without required space, will receive an inmate.”

Earlier, the Chairman of the Committee, Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central), said the 2023 budget estimates for the Ministry of Justice and its agencies as contained in the Appropriation Bill is N71.291 billion.

The sum, he said, includes allocations to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and statutory transfer to the National Human Rights Commission.

He also commended the president for increasing the budgetary provisions of the Council of Legal Education from N2.7 billion in 2022 to N10.12 billion proposed for 2023 fiscal year.

He said the increase will make the council put the various Law Schools in proper shape.