The Federal Government has begun collation of names of prison inmates proposed for pardon by President Muhammadu Buhari.
An 11-man Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy according to a report by The Nation is going around correctional centres in the six geo-political zones to determine the inmates that qualify for pardon.
Chairman of the Committee and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), made this known during the visit of the committee to Nigeria Correctional Centre, Ikoyi, Lagos.
Malami, who was represented by the Acting Director of the Criminal Justice Reform in the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Leticia Ayoola-Daniels, said the committee had visited Kuje Custodial Centre, Abuja, followed by the Ikoyi Custodial Centre, Lagos and that the committee would visit Kirikiri Maximum, Medium and Female custodial centres.
She said: “We are going round the correctional centres in the six geo-political zones in the federation. At Kuje, we looked at over 40 cases, they are going to be processed, there would be series of meetings to look at it, access it and make recommendation as appropriate.”
“We are to interview inmates and see those who qualify to be granted pardon by Mr President,” she added noting that in Lagos alone, they are looking at about 80 and as people to be pardoned are determined by their meeting up with up with the criteria laid out.
She also said that their job is just to recommend after looking at all the criteria and see those that can be recommended.
Their recommendation is expected to go through the National Council of State and they would make the final recommendation to Mr. President.
While fielding questions from the press, Mrs. Ayoola-Daniels said inmates imprisoned as a result of sexual violence, and defilement would not be considered.
Asked the criteria, a member of the committee, Albert Uko, said the committee was only mandated to look at federal offences and cases like “money laundering, issues of oil bunkering, kidnapping, terrorism, critically ill, old age, and those who have exceeded 10 years in prison,” among others.
Lagos State Controller of Correctional Centre, Adewale Adebisi, said he presented cases of about 200 inmates – male and female – for consideration by the committee, adding that it did not mean all of them would qualify for pardon.
“They would listen to all of them, listen to their cases, look at their antecedents alongside the criteria and determine those who would be beneficiaries of the President’s gesture,” he said.
Following the report, Adebisi said the planned gesture would impact on government programme to decongest the prisons.
“Issue of congestion in the correctional centres has been a matter of concern to every stakeholder in the justice system. That is why Mr President has shown special interest in it by establishing this committee to collate list of the inmates that are qualified for pardon based on criteria that were set up.”
He argued that the screening should be done regularly to help decongest correctional centres.
“The non-custodial is just taking off. I would appeal to the Federal Government to help fund the service to enable the Comptroller-General, Nigerian Correctional Services implement the non-custodial service effectively. It would go a long way to decongest correctional centres,” Adebisi added.
200 inmates – male and female – for consideration by the committee, adding that it did not mean all of them would qualify for pardon.“They would listen to all of them, listen to their cases, look at their antecedents alongside the criteria and determine those who would be beneficiaries of the President’s gesture,” he said.Following the report, Adebisi said the planned gesture would impact on government programme to decongest the prisons.“Issue of congestion in the correctional centres has been a matter of concern to every stakeholder in the justice system. That is why Mr President has shown special interest in it by establishing this committee to collate list of the inmates that are qualified for pardon based on criteria that were set up.”He argued that the screening should be done regularly to help decongest correctional centres.“The non-custodial is just taking off. I would appeal to the Federal Government to help fund the service to enable the Comptroller-General, Nigerian Correctional Services implement the non-custodial service effectively. It would go a long way to decongest correctional centres,” Adebisi added.
