As a measure to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Muhammad has directed all Chief Judges ( at the federal and state levels) to urgently take steps to decongest prisons across the country.
Justice Muhammad, in a circular issued on Friday, in his capacity as the Chairman of the National Judicial Council (NJC), directed the Chief Judges to ensure that criminal cases were speedily attended to, while they are also required to visit prisons within their jurisdictions.
The CJN, who regretted the large number of awaiting trial inmates in prisons, said: “it has become imperative for your lordships to embark on immediate visit to all custodial/correctional centres within your respective states to identify and release deserving inmates, where that has not been done already.”
The CJN enjoined Chief Judges to consider the conditional or unconditional release of Awaiting Trial Persons who have spent six years or more in custody.
“ATPs who have no confirmed criminal cases against them, aged inmates and terminally ill may be discharged. It is expected that particular attention should be on the aged, those with health issues, low-risk offenders, those with no sufficient legal basis to remain in custody, inmates convicted for minor offences with or without option of fines and inmates who have less than three years term left to serve, having served a substantial term of their service for offences that attract five years and above.
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