Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Muhammad Bello, says the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) will continue to partner all the agencies handling the Prison system to decongest the Prisons and save inmates who, for no fault of theirs, have over-stayed in prisons.
Bello also applauded President Muhammadu Buhari for putting a mechanism in place to decongest prisons in the country and set the nation’s criminal justice system on the right track, especially in addressing the issue of high number of inmates awaiting trial.
The minister, who gave the commendation when he received the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy on a courtesy visit to his office, assured that the FCTA would work with the Committee and other bodies set up by the President to decongest Prisons and fast track trials.
He praised the minister of interior, Abdurrahman Dambazau, for all efforts to implement the Prison Reform; by improving welfare of inmates, infrastructure and the purchase of vehicles for movement of prisoners to the courts.
He explained that as part of efforts to align itself with the desire of the President to decongest Prisons, FCTA has identified Prison sites in the FCT and have communicated same to the Minister of Interior so that it would be considered in the Ministry’s plan for the building of more prison facilities.
Earlier in his address, the vice chairman of the Committee and leader of the delegation, William Alo who is also the Permanent Secretary, Special Duties, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, said the main purpose of the visit was to identify and recommend inmates in the FCT that should receive Presidential pardon.
Alo stated that the Committee is guided by the criteria that only deserving inmates are considered for Presidential pardon, adding that it can also recommend a less severe form of punishment imposed on a convict.
