The Chief Judge of Niger State, Halima Abdulmalik, released one prisoner and granted bail to four others from the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Suleja, on Tuesday.
This information was shared in a press release signed by Adamu Duza, the spokesperson for the Nigerian Correctional Service, Federal Capital Territory Command, and provided to our correspondent.
As stated in the release, Justice Abdulmalik, along with senior magistrates and other Ministry of Justice officials, reviewed a total of 60 cases, including murder, kidnapping, and armed robbery. Four inmates were granted bail, and one was released.
The Chief Judge emphasized that visits to custodial centres are necessary to ensure justice is served.
Abdulmalik also pledged to promote the use of non-custodial measures by judges and courts in the state and to ensure swift access to justice.
The Chief Judge also advised the released inmate to stay away from crime and thanked the Nigerian Correctional Service authorities for their support in maintaining security and effectively managing the inmates during the exercise.
Francis John, the FCT Controller of Corrections, expressed appreciation for the Chief Judge's timely intervention and urged her to encourage magistrates and justices in the state to opt for non-custodial service sentencing to reduce the number of inmates in custodial centres.
John also encouraged the released inmate to behave well and find meaningful employment to avoid returning to a life of crime.
The released inmate, Abubakar Umar, expressed gratitude to the Chief Judge for considering him worthy of pardon.
