The Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has signed the release of 209 inmates from the various Correctional Centres across the state as part of measures to curtail the spread of coronavirus in the prisons.
The governor disclosed this on Saturday during the COVID-19 update media briefing in Lagos.
According to him he signed the release of the inmates in exercise of powers conferred on him by Section 212 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).
He said: “Dear people of Lagos, in the exercise of the powers conferred on me by Section 212 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), I have, this afternoon, following the recommendation of the Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy, signed a Release Order releasing 209 inmates remanded in various correctional centres in Lagos State.”
READ ALSO: COVID-19: Buhari Orders Release Of 2,600 Prisoners, Pardons 5 Ex-convicts
Sanwo-Olu explained that the action was in the best interest of the state as there was a need to decongest correctional centres in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He explained further that the release of the inmates was part of a larger effort at bringing lasting reform to the administration of criminal justice in the country.
The beneficiaries of the prerogative of mercy according to the governor, include; inmates above 60 years, those with less than six months to go on their sentence, those who have served 75 per cent of their sentence, those serving time for misdemeanours and minor offences, and those with physical and mental health issues.
He said with the release order, the decongestion of correctional centres across the state is expected to begin without any delay.
