Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami said his office would continue to fine-tune the roadmap and
vigorously implement comprehensive action plan to ensure enduring
achievements in reforming and decongesting correctional centres in the country.
This is contained in a statement by Dr. Umar Jibrilu Gwandu, Special
Assistant on Media and Public Relations Office of the Attorney-General
of the Federation and Minister of Justice issued to newsmen in Abuja
on Thursday 9th April, 2020.
Malami made this known at the flag-off the 2020 Presidential Pardon
and Clemency granted recently by President Muhammadu Buhari to
convicts in Correctional/custodial centres across the country.
Held at Kuje Correctional Centre, Kuje, Abuja on Thursday 9th April,
2020 the flag-off was part of the urgent measures taken by the Federal
Government towards the speedy decongestion of correctional/custodial
centres in the country in view of the COVID – 19 Pandemic.
Malami who spoke on behalf of President Muhamadu Buhari recalled that
Nigeria has succeeded in putting in place urgent measures to ensure
speedy decongestion of the custodial centres towards the control of COVID -19 Pandemic which he described as part of demonstration of
President Muhamadu Buhari’s sincerity and commitment to decongest the
overcrowded Nigerian Correctional Centres.
He explained that the process of coming up with the list of
beneficiaries commenced in 2018 when sequel to Mr. President’s
approval, the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy
(PACPM) was inaugurated on the 28th August, 2018 to advise Mr.
President in granting pardon/clemency to deserving inmates and
ex-convicts in line with the provisions of section 175 of the
Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
In carrying out the assignment, the Minister said that the Committee
adopted the use of interviews, observations, consultation and relevant
documents called for and received from each of the Correctional
Centres in Nigeria. He said that the Committee visited a number of
Correctional Centres in the six geo-political zones of the country to
interact and identify those eligible for Presidential Pardon/Clemency.
Malami said that upon conclusion of the assignment, a report of the
Committee, containing the list of beneficiaries considered and
recommended for Pardon or Clemency was submitted for the information
and necessary action by Mr. President.
“Out of the 176 persons interviewed, Presidential Pardon has been
granted to 2 inmates. Mr. President granted clemency to 39 inmates as
recommended by the PACPM out of which 4 inmates are from Kuje
Correctional Centre. In addition, Mr. President has also graciously
granted Pardon to 5 Ex – Convicts. My office will take necessary steps
to publish the names of these beneficiaries in the Federal Gazette in
line with extant laws and Regulations,” he said.
The Minister said that in furtherance to the efforts to put COVID -19
under control, Mr. President requested appropriate authorities to
embark on a visit to all correctional/custodial centres within their
respective States to identify and release deserving inmates.
“During the visit, there should be conditional or unconditional
release of ATPs who have spent a substantial number of years in
custody especially those with no sufficient legal basis to remain in
custody,” he said emphasizing that Mr. President has requested that
particular attention should be on the aged (especially those with
terminal health issues), low risk offenders as well as the payment of
fines for convicts of lesser offences with option of fines, who are in
custody because of their inability to pay such fines.
Malami warned all the beneficiaries of the Presidential Pardon and
Clemency to desist from crime and criminality and be of good
behaviour. “You must rewrite your individual life stories. You must
rebuild broken walls in your dignity by diligently using the
experience and various empowerments and trainings received while in
custody positively to better your lots to the fullest,” he urged.
The Minister also urged the communities and general public to open
their hands of fellowship in receiving the beneficiaries and ensure
that they are properly reintegrated into the society without any form
of stigmatization or discrimination.
“I have confidence in their selection process, and if Mr. President
has pardoned them, you too can forgive them. I urge well-meaning
Nigerian to do something positive to better their lots and livelihood
including offering them jobs. It is expected that proper reintegration
will strengthen their individual resolve to live in line with
acceptable social norms and values”.
He reiterated the need to identify new measures to consciously reduce
the number of inmates in Nigerian custodial centres beyond the control
of COVID – 19 scourges.
“We must primarily look into the cases of persons awaiting trial and
individuals convicted of minor offences for which fines were the
penalty. It is particularly worrisome that about 70% of the inmates in
Nigerian prisons are persons awaiting trial and canvassed for the use
of non-custodial measures in line with the provisions of the ACJA,
2015 and the Nigerian Correctional Service Act, 2019.
