COVID-19: 63 inmates get amnesty in Plateau

The Nigerian Correctional Service says 63 inmates in Plateau have been granted amnesty by the state government.

ASC Martha Banda, Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the service in Plateau, made this known in a statement on Thursday in Jos.

Banda said the amnesty was in line with decision of the Federal Government to decongest the custodial centres in the country, as a measure to contain the spread of Coronavirus in the country.

Reports have it that President Muhammadu Buhari on April 8, approved the release of 2,600 prisoners in the country

Banda explained that 57 of the inmates were granted amnesty by the state, while six others were pardoned by the federal government.

Banda said the categories of convicts that benefitted from the pardon were the ill-health, the aged, those who have served 75 per cent of their sentence, six months or below yet to serve.

However, she said  those who were convicted over violent offences like murder, armed robbery, terrorism, kidnapping and rape did not benefit from the gesture.