Nigeria, Sept. 16 -- The Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, said, on Thursday, that testing of suspects for COVID-19 in police detention has helped to reduce congestion at correctional centres.

Mr Baba, who was represented by the Lagos police commissioner, Hakeem Odumosu, said this during a conference on decongestion of Nigerian correctional centres held in Victoria Island, Lagos.

He said suspects who test positive for COVID-19 are being "treated by the police", rather than being taken to court, which reduces the number of inmates in correctional centres.

"The Nigeria Police taking over the burden of carrying out COVID-19 tests on suspects in police custody before being taken to courts and Correctional Centres has assisted greatl...