Afrofusion singer Burna Boy and social media activist VeryDarkMan visited the Kirikiri Maximum Security Custodial Centre in Lagos State to support the release of inmates eligible for discharge due to unpaid fines.
According to a statement by Osho Onimisi Joseph, spokesperson for the Lagos State Command of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), the duo sought information on the legal and administrative procedures guiding the release of such inmates.
Sanni Richard, officer-in-charge of the facility, briefed the visitors on the processes, eligibility criteria, and safeguards in place to ensure transparency and adherence to court orders. The NCoS stressed that no inmate is released without proper authorization and compliance with the law.
The visit follows a recent Instagram post by VeryDarkMan, where he revealed that Burna Boy donated $100,000 (around N150 million) to fund the release of inmates unable to pay fines and settle hospital bills for patients in public health facilities.
VeryDarkMan said $50,000 of the donation would be used to free prisoners who have been in custody for years over unpaid fines, while the remaining $50,000 would cover hospital bills in government hospitals.
“The money is in my custody while we do proper documentation for their release,” he said, adding that he intends to collect data on fined prisoners across all 36 states to ensure the funds are fairly distributed.
The NCoS welcomed the initiative, praising efforts that promote access to justice, custodial decongestion, and humane treatment of inmates in line with international standards.
