The Federal Government has disclosed that it has raised the sum of N585 million to be used for the payment of fines to secure the release of 4,068 inmates across the federation
The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, said the money was donated to FG by several organisations, as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR, to the country.
He said the first phase of the release of the inmates would commence from the Kuje Correctional Center in Abuja.
The Interior Minister spoke on the sidelines of the 27th Ministerial Committee Meeting of the Inter-Governmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa, GIABA, which held at the State House, Abuja, on Saturday.
In attendance at the meeting included Ministers of Justice and heads of anti-corruption agencies from all the countries within the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS.
Dr. Tunji-Ojo, who was a special guest at the meeting, said the Ministry of Interior would further collaborate with the Ministry of Justice to tackle the swelling number of awaiting trial inmates in various detention facilities in the country.
He said: “While the Ministry of Justice is in charge of judicial administration, the Ministry of Interior controls the Correctional Institutions, which are transformatory centers that are meant to ensure that inmates have their fundamental rights protected. Of course, they become rehabilitated to be reintegrated back into the society.
“Synergy is key and that is what we have, especially with the Justice Ministry.
“The Justice Ministry and the Ministry of Interior must work hand-in-hand to make sure that the target of the judicial system comes to fruition. The target is not to punish people. It is to remodel, rehabilitate and reintegrate them.
