Ayodele Olalere
Lagos State governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Saturday ordered the release of 209 inmates of the Nigeria Correctional Centres in the wake of the increase of Coronavirus patients in the state.
While giving situation reports on the Covid-19 in the state, at the State House, Marina, Sanwo-Olu said those to be addressed are inmates above 60years old. He also gave other conditions.
“In exercise of the powers conferred on me by Section 212 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), I have, this afternoon, following the recommendation of the Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy, signed a Release Order releasing 209 inmates remanded in various
correctional centres in Lagos State,” Sanwo-Olu said.
He added: ” This was done in part to decongest correctional centres in view of the Covid-19 Pandemic; and is part of a larger effort to bring lasting reform to the administration of criminal justice in the country.
The beneficiaries of this release order are the following: above 60 years of age; less than 6 months to go on their sentence; have served 75% of their sentence; those serving time for misdemeanours and minor offences; and those with physical and mental health issues.”
The governor also said as a result of the lockdown, mortuaries across the state are now filled up with dead bodies, adding the lockdown has prevented people from burying their loved ones. He therefore gave two weeks for those who want to hold funerals to do so failure of which the state will hold a mass burial for the dead.
The governor added such funerals must however adhere to guidelines such as social distancing, must not have more than 20 people in attendance, no reception or parties.
“I would like to speak concerning funerals. One of the outcomes of this lockdown is that many families and households have had to postpone funeral plans for loved ones who have passed away before or during this period.
As you might know, many Christian denominations do not carry out funerals during the Lenten Season. Funerals are typically kept on hold during this period, and scheduled for the period immediately following the end of Lent.
Unfortunately, this year, the Covid-19 Lockdown coincided with the end of Lent, which caused many families and households to further suspend or put off funeral plans.
Because of this inability to hold funerals, occasioned by the restrictions on movement, the mortuaries in Lagos State are now full and in urgent need of decongestion. Let me make it clear at this point that these are not Covid-19 deaths.”
“The mortuaries in Lagos are not full because of Covid-19 deaths – the total number of Covid-19 deaths in Lagos as at today is 20; the only reason the mortuaries are full at this time is because funerals are not being held, and have not been held for most of the last two months.
I am now constrained to make this appeal to all Lagosians who have the corpses of loved ones in the mortuaries, to please go ahead and schedule these funerals.
Let me make it clear that funerals are on the list of activities exempted from the lockdown restrictions.
You can hold or attend funeral ceremonies in Lagos State as long as you comply with the requirements that we have outlined.”
According to him, some of the conditions are : “the total number of persons at the funeral, including officiating religious leaders, must not exceed 20, physical distancing must be maintained at the funeral ceremony, all attendees/mourners must use masks and ensure they wash their hands after the
ceremony, there must be no receptions or parties to accompany these funerals.”
He “assured that as long as these directives are fully complied with, funerals will be allowed and encouraged to take place.”
” If we are unable to see a decongestion of the mortuaries across the State in the next two weeks, the Lagos State government will be compelled to carry out mass burials to achieve this. We do not want to be forced to do this, which is why we are asking for your cooperation in this regard.”
