Covid-19: Set Prisoners Free, Use Prisons As Quarantine Centres – Reps Member

A member of the House of Representatives, Rep. Chukwuma Umeoji, has suggested that inmates of correctional centres across the country be set free, while prisons are converted to quarantine centres for patients who have tested positive for the Coronavirus.

The lawmaker representing Aguata Federal Constituency of Anambra State, on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, gave the suggestion via a press statement on Friday.

He said: “The impact of the virus, will be worse on large number of people in an enclosure. Nigerian prisons are overcrowded and notorious for poor hygiene standards. The spread of the virus under such environment, will be rapid and deadly.

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“As a matter of urgency, the Government should carry out proper documentation of prisoners to ensure their return to prison after the end of the epidemic”.

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“All prisoners Nationwide should be released and all prison facilities converted to Isolation Centres for the treatment of Corona Virus across the country. A delay will lead to severe number of casualties. The virus must be taken seriously and preventive measures, deployed to enable the nation survive the pandemic”, he warned.

“The government should open borders to enable essential health equipment to come into the country, especially chemicals used in pharmaceutical sector”, he stated, as he also advised that “There should be a travel ban restriction plan in place for interstate movements”.