The federal government yesterday disclosed that it has recommenced admission of fresh inmates into the various correctional facilities in the country, saying, the process has recorded over 9,900 new intakes.

This is even as the comptroller- general of The Nigerian Correctional Service, Alhaji Ja’afaru Ahmed, announced that the admission had so far commenced in 28 states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

He, however, added that eight states were yet to fully comply with the government set guidelines for the COVID-19 pandemic.

The NCoS boss made the disclosure at the presentation of Personal Protective Equipment’s (PPE) by Prisoners Rehabilitation Welfare Action (PRAWA) and OSIWA to the Service.

Ahmed categorically stated that so far, none of the correctional facilities in the country had recorded any case of COVID -19.

Items donated by the organisations are 50,000 pieces of face masks, computers, mobile communications modems, phones for virtual visitations, 1,000 face shields for protection of inmates, 47 cans for disinfection and pedal operated water tanks.

He linked the development to stringent conditions adopted by the Service to prevent the outbreak of the pandemic. The Prisons boss acknowledged that though there were apprehensions across the country over the fate of inmates, they were able to control the pandemic.

He said, “During the lockdown, over 20,000 non- custodian services were recorded in the FCT alone. These are ordinary people who would have gone to the prisons. Leadership