Kano Chief Judge Frees 7 Inmates After Reviewing 82 Cases

(Kano State CJ, Justice Dije Abdu Aboki during the exercise Middle Woman. Photo Credit: Punch News)

Justice Dije Abdu Aboki, the Chief Judge of Kano State, reviewed the cases of 82 awaiting trial and ordered the immediate release of seven detainees on medical reasons.

Musbahu Nassarawa, Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Kano State Command, confirmed this in a statement issued on Friday.

According to the statement, the exercise was held in the Kurmawa and Goron Dutse Custodial Centers as part of efforts to promote swift justice and defend the rights of those in custody.

“The Honorable Chief Judge of Kano State, Justice Dije Abdu Aboki, evaluated the cases of 82 Awaiting Trial Persons during a jail delivery exercise held at Kano State’s detention centers.

“The exercise is part of efforts to promote speedy dispensation of justice and ensure the protection of the rights of persons in custody,” the statement stated.

It stated that the Chief Judge considered the cases of inmates who had been in jail for several years without being charged.

“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 statement added.

It went on to say that the exercise demonstrated the Kano State Judiciary’s commitment to respecting the rule of law, protecting human rights, and ensuring that people in custody were not detained for longer than was legally allowed.

In her presentation to the inmates, the Chief Judge emphasized the need of administering justice fairly and quickly.

In his remarks, Ahmed Lakpene, Controller of Corrections, Kano State Command, asked the released detainees to use their freedom as an opportunity to start a new chapter in their lives, to follow the law, and to avoid doing anything that would put them in violation of the law.

Lakpene also praised Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, the Controller General of Corrections, for creating a conducive climate for the humane treatment of convicts in custodial facilities.

He further mentioned that jail delivery exercises were part of continuous efforts to decongest custodial facilities and guarantee that justice was available to all convicts.

The Chief Judge was accompanied by the High Court’s Chief Registrar, the Director of Public Prosecutions, representatives from the Commissioner of Police, Legal Aid attorneys, and other key stakeholders in the criminal justice system.

The Nigerian Correctional Service, Kano State Command, has reaffirmed its commitment to collaborating with the judiciary and other justice sector partners to promote prompt trials, decongest correctional facilities, and protect the rights of those in detention.