The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) wishes to announce as at date the release of 3,751 inmates comprising
Convicts and awaiting trial persons who met the criteria set. It will be recall that the President had ordered the
decongestion of detention centres in country to sustain the fight against spread of COVID-19. Consequently,
Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola Minister of Interior on 9th April, 2020 during the flag-off of the Presidential amnesty a
Medium Security Custodial Centre Kuje-Abuja announced that a total of 2,600 will benefit from the release by 36
states and Federal Capital Territory, however some states Chief Judges during the jail delivery processes
granted bail/release to some awaiting trial persons cumulating in the release of 3,751 inmates so far. The NCoS
wishes to state that the process is ongoing, as other measures are in place to ensure continuity and the final
figures will be made public at the end of the exercise. A breakdown of the release shows that 2,740 convicts and
1011 Awaiting Trial Inmates have so far benefited from the exercise. The Controller General of Corrections
Ja’afaru Ahmed wishes to use this medium to express his profound gratitude to all the State Governors, Chief
Judges and other stakeholders in the Criminal Justice System who have work tirelessly to carry out this exercise
and encourage its continuity. The Service is assuring that all inmates qualified for the amnesty and jail delivery
will be released accordingly.
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