Niger CJ frees one inmate, grants four bail -

The Chief Judge of Niger State, Halima Abdulmalik, on Tuesday, freed one inmate and granted four bail from the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Suleja.

This was contained in a press statement signed by the spokesperson, Nigerian Correctional Service, Federal Capital Territory Command, Adamu Duza, and made available to our correspondent.

According to the statement, Justice Abdulmalik, who was accompanied by senior magistrates and other principal officials of the Ministry of Justice, “reviewed a total number of 60 cases, ranging from murder, kidnap, armed robbery among others. Four inmates were granted bail, and one was released.”

The Chief Judge, in her remark, said custodial centre visits “were statutory to ensure that justice is served.”

Abdulmalik also noted that she would ensure that judges and courts embrace the non-custodial service measures in the state as well as ensure speedy access to justice.

The Chief Judge also admonished the released inmate to stay-off crime while thanking the authorities of the Nigerian Correctional Service for their support in providing security and ensuring adequate coordination of the inmates in the custodial centre during the exercise.

The FCT Controller of Corrections, Francis John, appreciated the Chief Justice and her team for the timely intervention, and called on her to advise magistrates and justices in the state to adopt non-custodial service sentencing in order to reduce the number of inmates coming in to the custodial centre.

John urged the released inmate to be of good conduct and ensure that they were gainfully engaged with a choice trade to avoid going back to crime.

The released inmate, Abubakar Umar, thanked the Chief Justice for finding him worthy to be pardoned.