More than four thousand Nigerian prisoners were released on Saturday as part of a campaign to reduce prison overcrowding in the country, the country’s Interior Minister, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced on Sunday.
“We announce the release of 4,068 prisoners detained due to their inability to pay their fines,” said the minister, in a message published on social media, after visiting the Kuje detention center, near Abuja, the previous day, according to a note published by Africanews .
This decision is part of a process to alleviate overcrowding in Nigeria’s prisons, an objective outlined by Nigerian President, Bola Tinubu.