Thirty-five (35) inmates from the Keffi Custodial Centre in Nasarawa State were released on the order of the Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Justice Husseini Baba-Yusuf, as part of ongoing efforts to decongest correctional facilities across the country.
The visit follows growing concerns over congestion and delays in Nigeria’s correctional centres. During an earlier assessment of the Keffi facility, Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State had raised the issue of prolonged detention of inmates awaiting trial and sought federal intervention through the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation.
The discharged inmates include 33 men and 2 women, who were all awaiting trial, some for extended periods without appearing in court.
Among them was Mohammed Abdullahi, who had reportedly spent a year in detention without a single court hearing.
Justice Baba-Yusuf, who announced the releases during a routine inspection visit to the facility, said the exercise was in line with the judiciary’s responsibility to protect human rights and ensure that persons are not unlawfully detained.
During the visit, the Chief Judge reviewed individual case files and identified detainees eligible for discharge.
The Chief Judge stated that the releases were strictly based on legal review and the need to uphold justice, and pledged that similar inspection visits would be carried out periodically to address overcrowding and safeguard the rights of inmates.
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