Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The House of Representatives on Friday, commended President Muhammadu Buhari for granting pardon to 2,600 inmates at various custodial centres in the country.
The chairman, House Committee on Reformatory Institutions, Anayo Edwin, in a statement, said the gesture will go a long way in decongesting the custodial centres.
Edwin had earlier charged stakeholders in the administration of criminal justice in the country to take urgent steps to decongest the various custodial centres, by adopting liberal bail conditions for certain categories of inmates, especially those awaiting trial.
The Federal Government, apparently in response to that call on Thursday announced presidential pardon for certain categories of inmates, as a way of decongesting the custodial centres to prevent the spread of coronavirus to the centres.
Edwin, while expressing appreciation to President Buhari for the pardon of the 2,600 inmates, said the gesture will reduce the work load of the officers, improve the welfare of inmates and reduce the possibilities and fears of spread of the deadly coronavirus to custodial centres across the country.
The lawmakers charged the governors of the 36 states to emulate the president by urgently granting pardon to certain categorise of convicts and those standing trial for state offences in their respective states, as that will help to further decongest the custodial centres.
He noted that, that will help the country from the onerous challenge which the spread of Covid-19 to any of the centres may pose on the country.
The committee chairman stated that the 9th House of Representatives, under the leadership of the speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, remains committed to the improvement of the Nigeria Correctional Service, including the welfare of staff and inmates.
Consequently, he noted that the House will continue to support every effort of the executive arm of government geared towards the repositioning of the country’s reformatory institutions.