Ministry of Justice releases 12,000 Inmates
By Halima Abdulkadiri
Over 12,000 inmates across correctional centers in the country since 2016 have been released through the prison Decongestion programme of the Ministry of Justice.
Secretary of the Prison Decongestion Committee of the ministry, Mrs Patricia Ayoola Daniels revealed this in Abuja on Tuesday at the 2023 budget defence of the ministry.
According to her, the ministry after the release of the inmates had also upgraded the skills acquisition centers starting with the pilot center at Keffi correctional center to equip the inmate that were released.
She also disclosed that legal services was provided to inmates during the decongestion exercise.
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”Usually during the jail delivery exercise, the committee ensures that awaiting trial persons are assigned to courts right there.”
She added that the Federal Ministry of Justice has supported the release of 180 juveniles from foster institutions in the country.
“We visited about three in the last one year and granted them amnesty and we went with experts from UNICEF to properly re-integrate the children back.
Ealier, Justice Minister Abubakar Malami, SAN, said the ministry has enjoyed tremendous support from the legislature in the aspect of passing the much needed bills into law.
He said the laws has help to provide the legal framework in the implementation and administration of justice.
“With your support, the justice sector has been transformed into an avenue, not only for a law enforcement, but indeed for revenue generation and huge sums of money and assets has been recovered by the ministry and other agencies also,it has help to block revenue leakages.”
Malami called for sustained support for the justice sector, particularly in respect to actions, plans and initiatives geared towards entrenching rule of law, institutionalizing access to justice, protection of freedom, as provided for in the constitution.
