FG seeks release of 22 inmates in Rivers

The Federal Government has called on the Rivers State Government to waive the sum of N3,849,000 million being fines owed to the state by 22 inmates at the maximum security correctional centre in Port Harcourt to enable them to regain their freedom.

Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, made the call at the inauguration of a 20-bed-space COVID-19 crisis intervention fund hospital at the custodial centre in Port Harcourt on Saturday.

Aregbesola said the Nigerian Correctional Service was an integral part of the criminal justice system, which must be given the required attention to keep the county on the path of progress.

While noting that the custodial centre in Port Harcourt was built to accommodate 1,800 inmates, Aregbesola said the facility had 3,100 inmates as of Wednesday (May 10, 2023).

“Last year around September, I instructed the Nigerian Correctional Service to let me have people in its care with fines or any such financial order that is keeping them with us of the value of a million naira and below.

“And we got about five thousand names, people whose basis for incarceration is either fines of not more than a million naira or debts.

“In Rivers, we have about 22 inmates in that category here owing the state N3,849,000. That will not be too much for Rivers to pay to free them,” he said.

“So Rivers State, I am saying it publicly, the amount of money we are using to feed these 22 people is more than what they are owing you. So please free them. If not for yourself, for us.

 “Let’s have courts in our premises (custodial centres) so that the inmates can be tried without having to move them mechanically. In addition, we can use the virtual/zoom system with technology to try people within the cell. These will help in rapid trial and conclusion of cases,” he added.