#Covid19: ‘There Is Need To Decongest Nigerian Prisons To Prevent Spread’

Amid coronavirus social distancing protocols being observed across the world and in Nigeria, a Human Rights Lawyer, Bulama Bukarti has said that “there is no better time to decongest our prisons”.

In a furray of tweets on his twitter handle, @bulamabukarti, he said Chief Judges and the Attorneys-General should leverage their powers to release as many inmates as possible.

This is how inmates sleep in Nigeria prisons. That’s why we must ensure that COVID-19 doesn’t get into places like this. There’s no better time to decongest our prisons. Chief Judges and Attorneys-General should leverage their powers to release as many inmates as possible. pic.twitter.com/O50zL16WQV

— Bulama Bukarti (@bulamabukarti) March 23, 2020

Continuing, he said: “Judges should admit to bail as many inmates as practicable. Inmates should be sensitized and given facilities for personal hygiene. Prison officials including doctors should be required to be extra careful. Persons visiting prisons should be made to observe social distancing.”

The BokoHaram expert also called on northern states to suspend Qur’anic/religious schools.

On a related note, northern states should suspend Qur’anic/religious schools. Boarding Qur’anic schools are very similar to the situation in prisons. If western-styled schools which are relatively more organized are suspended, there is no reason for these ones to remain open.

— Bulama Bukarti (@bulamabukarti) March 23, 2020

According to the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC), as at 11:am, yesterday, there were 27 confirmed cases of #COVI19 in Nigeria. Of the 27 confirmed cases, 2 have been discharged, with no death recorded.

See the breakdown below:

The virus has negatively impacted the world’s economies and there are fears that its spread could lead to prolonged economic misery across the planet.