BREAKING: FG grants amnesty to 2,600 inmates to curb spread of COVID-19

The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola has announced that the Federal Government has granted amnesty to 2,600 inmates.

A statement on social media revealed that the "amnesty will not apply to inmates sentenced for violent extreme offences".

This is parts of efforts by the Federal Government to decongest the custodial centres and discourage the spread of COVID-19 in Nigeria.

The affected inmates includes: 1. Inmates that are 60years & above 2. Those suffering from ill-health likely to terminate in death 3. Convicts serving 3yrs & above & have less than 6mnths to serve 4. Inmate with mental issues 5. Inmates with option of fine not exceeding N50,000

The statement issued by the Ministry of Interior reads: "In a symbolic gesture of the amnesty given to the 2,600 inmates across Nigeria, 41 Federal inmates and 29 FCT inmates making a total of 70 inmates who met the above criteria will be released today 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.

"The Governors of the 36 states under whose jurisdiction most of the inmates were incarcerated will complete the exercise in line with the federal principle".