House of Representatives calls for release of all prisoners in Nigeria as Lagos begins the release of suspects arrested for minor offences
Hon. Chukwuma Umeoji, a member of the House of Representatives, has called on the government to set inmates of correctional centres across the country free, and convert prisons to quarantine centres for patients who have tested positive for the Corona Virus. .
According to the report,the lawmaker advised government to set inmates free to avoid a possible rapid spread of the pandemic, but ensure safeguards for their return to custody after the epidemic is contained. .
His words: “The impact of the virus, will be worse on large number of people in an enclosure. Nigerian prisons are overcrowded and notorious for poor hygiene standards. .
The spread of the virus under such environment, will be rapid and deadly. As a matter of urgency, the Government should carry out proper documentation of prisoners to ensure their return to prison after the end of the epidemic”. .
The lawmaker also called for reopening of land borders for pharmaceuticals to gain entry with the required drugs for Corona Virus, while advised government to ban interstate travels.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Police Commissioner, Hakeem Odumosu, has ordered the immediate release of suspects arrested over minor offences in the state, as part of preventive measures against coronavirus.
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