The controller made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Lagos.

He said “the pardon, however, will depend on whether the inmates under consideration will meet the criteria. The criteria include critical illness, old age and more than 10 years in custody, among others. But any inmate involved in defilement or rape case will not be scrutinised or considered.”

On the importance of the exercise, he said it would enhance the decongestion of custodial centres in the state, “for instance, the custodial centre in Ikoyi was constructed to accommodate only 800 inmates but as we speak, there are over 2,500 inmates there. I am using this opportunity to thank the committee and our passionate partners in the exercise, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, and Controller-General of NCOs, among others.”