The Nigerian government has released 12,000 inmates across correctional centres in the country since 2016.
This was disclosed by the secretary of the Prison Decongestion Committee of the justice ministry, Patricia Ayoola Daniels on Tuesday at the 2023 budget defence of the ministry.
According to her, after the release of the inmates, the ministry upgraded the skills acquisition centres starting with the pilot centre at Keffi Correctional Centre to equip the inmates that were released.
She also disclosed that inmates were provided legal services during the decongestion exercise.
Ms Daniels also said the justice ministry 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,” she said.
Justice minister Abubakar Malami said the ministry had enjoyed tremendous legislative support in passing the much-needed bills into law.
“With your support, the justice sector has been transformed into an avenue, not only for law enforcement but indeed for revenue generation, and huge sums of money and assets have been recovered by the ministry and other agencies. Also, it has helped to block revenue leakages,” the minister said.
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