The Nigerian government has granted amnesty to 2,600 prisoners as part of measures to reduce the prison population in the country during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, said this at a press conference held at the headquarters of the Nigerian Correctional Service in Abuja.

He said that the inmates, who are serving various terms for crimes against the society, would be processed and released later today.

The affected inmates includes:
1. Inmates that are 60years & above
2. Those suffering from ill-health likely to terminate in death
3. Convicts serving 3yrs & above & have less than 6mnths to serve
4. Inmate with mental issues
5. Inmates with option of fine not exceeding N50,000

In a symbolic gesture of the amnesty given to the 2,600 inmates across Nigeria, 41 Federal inmates and 29 FCT inmates making a total of 70 inmates who met the above criteria will be released today from the Kuje Custodial Centre in Abuja.

This amnesty will not apply to inmates sentenced for violent extreme offences such as terrorism, kidnapping, armed banditry, rape, human trafficking, culpable homicide and so on.

The Governors of the 36 states under whose jurisdiction most of the inmates were incarcerated will complete the exercise in line with the federal principle.