IEF Faults Tinubu’s Clemency, Seeks Genuine Prison Reforms
0
0
IEF Faults Tinubu’s Clemency, Seeks Genuine Prison Reforms
By Kaosara Olayemi Oladimeji
The Inmates Educational Foundation (IEF) has criticised the recent prerogative of mercy granted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, describing it as a misplaced gesture that risks undermining public trust in Nigeria’s justice system.
While the Federal Government said the amnesty was aimed at promoting rehabilitation and decongesting correctional centres, the foundation argued that the process lacked transparency and fairness — particularly in the selection of beneficiaries.
In a statement signed by the Executive Director of the foundation, Alabidun Mahfuz Mudathir, and made available to INCNews247, the organisation warned that freeing convicts without clear criteria or proof of genuine reformation sends a dangerous message about accountability and justice.
READ ALSO: Tinubu, Umahi’s Confidence in Local Contractors Pays Off on Oyo–Ogbomosho Road
“The decision-making process behind granting mercy lacks transparency, leaving many to wonder about the criteria used to select beneficiaries,” Mudathir said.
“Releasing offenders who have caused harm to their victims can easily be perceived as a miscarriage of justice.”
He added that such selective mercy risks compounding victims’ trauma and eroding confidence in Nigeria’s correctional and judicial systems.
According to the foundation, the focus should shift from ad-hoc clemency to genuine reform within the country’s correctional facilities through education, counselling, and skill acquisition.
“The prerogative of mercy should represent true rehabilitation and reintegration, not a political gesture,” the statement continued.
“We must prioritise reforms that empower inmates to return to society as productive and law-abiding citizens.”
The IEF, which has been active in promoting educational opportunities for inmates across Nigeria, emphasised that sustainable correctional reform must include evidence-based rehabilitation programmes addressing the root causes of criminal behaviour.
Mudathir urged government agencies and stakeholders to invest more in restorative justice systems that promote reconciliation and accountability between offenders and their victims.
“Our correctional centres should not serve merely as holding cells but as transformation hubs,” he said.
“Through education, skill-building, and psychological support, we can truly reform inmates and reduce repeat offences.”
He further called for better living conditions, healthcare, and respect for human dignity in correctional facilities, noting that poor infrastructure and neglect hinder reformation efforts.
