A Human Right lawyer, Mr Aladesanmi Joke, has urged the three tiers of government to take further steps in ensuring that released inmates are adequately cared and catered for to stop returning to crime.
The human right lawyer said this on Thursday via her twitter handle.
Joke said: “While it is good news that the Federal Government has put into consideration the state of health and well-being of the inmates, it is however important that the Federal and State Governments to take a further step to ensure they are catered for.
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“Most of the inmates who will benefit from this development have lost touch with their families and loved ones or might even have difficulties travelling to their respective states of residence or origin as the boundaries for most states are presently closed.
“It is undeniable that persons who fall within this category might have to find other means of survival which may include resorting to crime commission.’’
She recommended that the government should make adequate provision for the inmates to ensure their sustenance throughout the period of the lockdown and beyond.
She also suggested that the government should ensure that beneficial ties of the prison decongestion be handed over to relatives who could guarantee their safety and account for them when necessary.
Joke further said that the lives of all inmates are as important as that of any other Nigerian, saying it is necessary that the released inmates have adequate provisions that would ease their rehabilitation and reintegration into the society.
According to her, this in return will lead to a reduction in social vices and security instability.
She, however, called on the government to sustain the decongestion measures beyond the pandemic period, adding that inmates are very vulnerable to various ailments due to the overcrowding of the correctional centres.
She, however, applauded the government decision to decongest custodial centres as a way of preventing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic among inmates.