Fed Govt to pay N500m fine on 4,000 inmates’ freedom

Relief may soon come for some indigent inmates.

Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who dropped the hint, said 4000 inmates would, in the next four weeks, be released from correctional facilities across the country.

The fines, the minister assured, would be cleared within the next four weeks.

The minister, who spoke on a monitored television programme, lamented that many inmates remained in custodial facilities because of their inability to pay the fines and penalties awarded against them.

Tunji-Ojo said: “The ministry, as well as other stakeholders are working round the clock to raise the money. Within in the next four weeks, the fines would be cleared and the inmates would be released.

“Immediately I resumed, I set up a committee to review the situation at our correctional centres. We discovered that over 4,000 inmates are in custody due to their inability to pay fines, which is about N500 million. We have gone far with private organisations to put this money together.

“I am sure that within the next four weeks, we will be able to pay these fines for the 4,000 inmates. This will help us in decongesting our custodial centres.”

The minister said the decongestion of the correctional facilities is not the sole responsibility of the ministry.

Tunji Ojo also said he had been discussing with the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, (SAN) to address the challenge of awaiting trial inmates.

He added: “The decongestion of our custodial centres is not the sole responsibility of the ministry. We are in talks with the AGF to see how cases can be expedited. We have also activated the non-custodial centres to decongest the custodial centres.”

Comments

Court orders Okowa government to account for over N200bn education funds, allocations

Court orders Okowa government to account for over N200bn education funds, allocations The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, in a landmark judgment, has “ordered the disclosure of the spending details of over N200bn public funds collected by the government of former Delta State governor Ifeanyi Okowa from the Universal Basic Education Commission [UBEC] fund and allocations from the Federation Accounts.” The court ordered the Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to “disclose details of budgetary allocations and actual spending by the Okowa government between 2015 and 2019, including specific projects carried out to improve primary education in Delta State, and the locations of such projects.” The judgment was delivered by Honourable Justice Daniel Osiagor, following a Freedom of Information suit number: FHC/L/CS/803/2019, brought by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP). In his judgment, Justice Osiagor held that, “SERAP has cognizable legal right to inquire and

Olu Of Warri Defends Tradition, Speaks on Christianity

Olu Of Warri Defends Tradition, Speaks on Christianity The Olu of Warri, His Majesty Ògíamẹ̀ Atúwàtse III, has dispelled the insinuation that there is a conflict between the traditional thrones and Christendom. The monarch, who stated this when he received the Soun of Ogbomoso land, Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye, Orumogege III, in his Palace in Warri Kingdom, Delta State, said that the two institutions were not necessarily antithetical. He also debunked the assumption that traditional institutions were synonymous with fetishism and the worship of creations made by human beings and reasoning. He, however, noted that the two institutions can play complementary role that will contribute to the growth and development of the country. The Olu, who said he was elated by the Soun’s visit, said the new Ogbomoso monarch’s choice of Warri kingdom as his first place of visit was divinely directed, just as his choice for the throne was divinely ordained. He said that they owe i

Many Benefited as Tantita Save Niger Delta From Enviromental Ruins

Many Benefited as Tantita Save Niger Delta From Enviromental Ruins It is on record over the past twenty years in the Niger Delta region, South-South Nigeria where incessant fire disaster and untimely death was on the increase in weekly basis as result of the activities of illegal oil bunkering, especially the process of local refining popularly known as Kpo-Fire. The menace also renders our young married ladies widows in the ljaw riverine communities because most of their life partners venture into the Kpo-Fire business due to its lucrative nature in making quick money. To proof your doubt, take a tour to any of the ljaw riverine communities across Burutu, Warri South-West, Bomadi, Patani in Delta State, and Southern ljaw, Ekeremor, Nembe and Brass LGAs in Bayelsa State, you will discovered that most of our youths are facially disfigured in parts of their body as result of severe fire accident incurred during cooking and burning (refining) of crude oil to kerosene, fuel and desiel for

FocalPoint Reports

Search This Blog