NIGERIA GRANTS REPRIEVE TO MORE THAN 100 DEATH ROW PRISONERS

more than 100 Nigerians condemned to death had their sentences commuted to life imprisonment as part of independence day celebrations in the West African country.
 Justice Minister Bayo Ojo said in a statement that the decision was meant to commend the "courage and patriotism" of prisoners who refused to escape during jailbreaks at two prisons in June 2005. One hundred and seven death row prisoners received life sentences, and 23 prisoners who had committed minor offenses were released. 
On last year's independence day, Nigeria released prisoners with terminal diseases such as AIDS and said it would institute rehabilitation centers for ex-convicts, both moves to decongest overcrowded prisons. About 43,500 prisoners are crowded into Nigerian jails designed to hold a total of 38,500 people.