The Chief Judge of Kano State, Justice Dije Abdu Aboki, has reviewed the cases of 82 Awaiting Trial Persons (ATPs) and ordered the immediate unconditional release of seven inmates on health grounds, during a jail delivery exercise conducted at custodial centres in Kano State.
This was contained in a statement issued by CSC Musbahu Lawan K/nassarawa Command Public Relations Officer Nigerian Correctional Service.
The exercise is part of efforts to promote speedy dispensation of justice and ensure the protection of the rights of persons in custody.
The exercise was conducted at the Kurmawa and Goron Dutse Custodial Centres, where the Chief Judge reviewed the cases of inmates who have spent several years in custody without formal charges.
During the exercise, the Chief Judge ordered the immediate release of 7 inmates on medical grounds, following due consideration of their health conditions and other circumstances surrounding their continued detention.
The exercise underscores the commitment of the Kano State Judiciary to uphold the rule of law, safeguard human rights, and ensure that persons in custody are not detained beyond what is permitted by law.
In her address to the inmates, the Chief Judge emphasized the importance of justice being administered fairly and without unnecessary delay.
The Controller of Corrections, Kano State Command, Ahmed Yusuf Lakpene, urged the released inmates to regard their freedom as an opportunity to turn a new page in their lives, remain law-abiding, and refrain from acts that could bring them into conflict with the law.
Controller Lakpene also commended the Controller General of Corrections, CGC Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, for providing the enabling environment for humane treatment of inmates in custodial centres.
He further noted that jail delivery exercises form part of the ongoing efforts towards congesting custodial centres and ensuring that justice is accessible to all inmates.
The Chief Judge was accompanied by the Chief Registrar of the High Court, the Director of Public Prosecutions, representatives of the Commissioner of Police, Legal Aid Counsel, and other critical stakeholders in the administration of criminal justice.
The Nigerian Correctional Service, Kano State Command, reaffirms its commitment to working with the judiciary and other justice sector partners to promote timely trial, decongest custodial centres, and uphold the rights of persons in custody.