The lawmaker representing Aguata Federal Constituency of Anambra State, Hon. Chukwuma Umeoji, has called on the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, to set inmates of correctional centres across the country free, and convert prisons to quarantine centres for patients who have tested positive for the Corona Virus.

Honourable Chukwuma Umeoji, who was elected in the House on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, made the call through a press statement Friday.

According to the Lawmaker, setting the inmates free will prevent the spread of the pandemic, but government must ensure their return to custody after the epidemic is contained.

“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.

“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”.

The Member warned that if not immediately released, the prisoners who end up contracting the disease will spread it rapidly and scores will be killed will be killed in the process.

“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 national survive the pandemic”, he advised.