COVID-19: El-Rufai Approves Release Of 72 Convicts

The Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, has approved the release of 72 convicts from the Kaduna and Kafanchan Correctional Centres, as part of government’s efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the state.

According to the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Aisha Dikko, who announced the release of the inmates on Tuesday, 69 of the convicts were released in Kaduna while three were freed in Kafanchan.

Giving further breakdown the Commissioner noted that 42 inmates who were freed from the Kaduna Correctional Centre were convicts who had been given an option of fine not exceeding N50,000.

Dikko further explained that four inmates were serving three years and above, with less than six months of their sentence left to serve.

The commissioner also noted that one of the inmates had spent 75% of his sentence after remission and the 22 others were convicted for minor offences.

‘’From the Kafanchan Custodial Centre, two inmates were freed with three months left on their sentence while one inmate was released based on old age,” she added.

Meanwhile, this comes as the government relaxed the curfew it imposed across the state over the pandemic for two days, with effect from Tuesday, April 14 till Wednesday, April 15.

The State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan in a statement made available to Channels Television on Tuesday noted that the two days’ relaxation on the restriction of movement is to enable residents to restock their homes with food items and other essentials before the lockdown continues on Thursday.