- State governors tasked on granting amnesty to decongest custodial centres
No fewer than 1,600 inmates across various custodial centres in Nigeria were pardoned between January and August 2024, The Point findings have revealed.
Despite the release of these inmates across the 253 custodial centres in the country, the current population of inmates, both those convicted and others awaiting trial, is nearing one million as the nation continues to grapple with the challenge of overcrowding in the prisons.
According to the latest summary of inmate population on the website of the Nigerian Correctional Service, the current total inmate population is 84,738 (males – 82,861 and females – 1,877), out of which 57,521 inmates (males – 56,123 and females – 1,398) are awaiting trial and 27,217 (males – 26,738 and females – 479) are convicted.
In an effort to decongest the country’s prisons, many Nigerian governors, Chief Judges and non-governmental organisations have played key roles in facilitating the freedom of the deserving inmates in the last eight months.
Between January 1 and 6, the governors of Benue, Nasarawa, Gombe, Taraba and Oyo states granted amnesty to 129 inmates at custodies within their territories.
On March 19, a significant contribution came when the Headford Foundation, a non-governmental organisation, facilitated the release of 628 inmates who had been wrongfully detained over the past five years.
These inmates were from custodial centres in Lagos, Ekiti, Delta, Ogun, and Rivers States.
Further releases occurred in March, with the Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Iyabo Yerima, granting amnesty to 38 inmates on March 20.
On March 22, Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed freed 96 inmates, and the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Chibuzor-Amadi, released 24 inmates from the Port Harcourt Maximum Custodial Centre.
On April 9, Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda secured the release of 222 inmates by settling their fines.
Later in the month, on April 29 and 30, Ogun State Chief Judge Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu, granted clemency to 49 inmates from the Ibara and Oba Correctional Centres in Abeokuta.
The wave of pardons continued into May, with Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, granting pardon to 13 inmates on May 29.
On the same day, Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, freed 41 inmates, and Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, pardoned 110 prisoners in observance of Democracy Day.
In commemoration of Democracy Day on June 12, the Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, granted pardon to 13 inmates serving various jail terms in the state.
Also, the Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, freed 41 prison inmates while the Governor of Kaduna State, Uba Sani, pardoned 110 prisoners in the spirit of Democracy Day.
In the spirit of Democracy anniversary, Governor Abiodun, had the death sentences of another 45 prisoners on death row commuted to imprisonment.
As part of the 2024 Democracy Day celebrations, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State granted pardons to five inmates from various correctional centres in the state, including a female.
The Governor of Kwara State, Abdulrazak Abdulrahman, also released 23 inmates who were serving their term at the Nigerian Correctional Service facility in Ilorin, the state capital.
According to a statement signed by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Adegbulugbe Olumide, the governor who visited all the custodial centres in the state ahead of the recent Ileya festival to extend his hands of love to the inmates reviewed the cases of 18 other inmates who were serving life imprisonment in the correctional facility.
The governor granted pardons to 23 inmates serving in the facility while the jail terms of 18 inmates convicted to life imprisonment were reviewed.
In July, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on the recommendation of the Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy, approved the release of 56 inmates from various correctional facilities across the state and the committal of the death sentence of an inmate to life imprisonment.
He also granted full pardon to another inmate.
State governors tasked on granting amnesty to decongest custodial centres
A faith-based non-governmental organisation, the Centre for Justice, Mercy, and Reconciliation has charged state governors without Boards of Mercy for Amnesty to constitute one in order page way for necessary advice and recommendations that would bring about more amnesty for deserving inmates.
Lamenting the unavailability of a Board of Mercy in Osun State, the group disclosed that nothing much has been done by the state government in the last six years to decongest prisons.
CJMR asked the state governor, Ademola Adeleke to establish the Board of Mercy to see to the needs of prisoners, especially in relation to granting amnesty to inmates on death row.
According to the group’s Executive Director, Hezekiah Olujobi, about 86 convicts from Osun State are in dire and unbearable conditions as a result of overcrowding in the death row section of the Nigeria Correctional Centre, especially in Lagos and Ogun States.
The convicts are said to be presently in Ibara Custodial Centre, Abeokuta and Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison.
“It has come to our notice that throughout the previous administration in Osun State, there was no Board of Mercy; as a result, the state governor has not been granting amnesty to inmates on death row in Osun State, in contravention of the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution.
“We would like to humbly draw your attention to Sections 175 and 212 of the Constitution of the Nigerian Constitution, which empower the state governor to grant amnesty to convicts, both those serving imprisonment and those on death row. It is concerning that this constitutional provision has not been fully implemented in Osun State for nearly six years.
“Furthermore, we wish to highlight the dire and unbearable conditions of overcrowding in the death row section of the Correctional Centre. Presently, in Ibara Custodial Centre, Abeokuta, Ogun State, there are 85 people on death row who are convicts from Osun State.
“We believe that some of these inmates could be transferred to the general convict section, thereby reducing the overcrowding in the death row section. Additionally, we urge that those who meet the criteria for total freedom under the Constitution be considered for release.
“We respectfully request that Your Excellency looks into this appeal and take the appropriate steps to constitute the Board of Mercy in accordance with the provisions of the constitution and take the necessary actions to address the issues raised,” CJMR told Adeleke.
