The Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Justice Husseini Baba-Yusuf, has ordered the release of 30 inmates awaiting trial in Keffi, Nasarawa State, during an official visit to two custodial centres on Thursday.
The release, facilitated by the Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC), a non-governmental organisation, included 24 inmates from the Keffi Medium Security Custodial Centre and six women from the Keffi Old Custodial Centre.
Justice Baba-Yusuf told reporters that the exercise was aimed at giving freedom to those unjustly detained.
“We are giving hope to the hopeless. Some of these people have no business being here,” he said. “No one should be behind bars unnecessarily—not even for a day.”
He noted that the visit was part of an ongoing effort to decongest correctional centres, with similar visits planned for Kuje and Suleja facilities.
Baba-Yusuf blamed the continued detention of many awaiting-trial inmates on delays by magistrates, police inefficiencies, and inadequate resources for correctional services.
“If facilities are improved, inmates can be brought to court regularly. This will help speed up justice and stop wrongful detentions,” he added.
Lucy Abagi, Chief Executive Officer of the PPDC, praised the Chief Judge for personally visiting the centre.
“We found cases where people granted bail couldn’t afford as little as N20,000. Some women were jailed simply for defending themselves in cases of gender-based violence,” she said.
Abagi called for similar interventions in other states, urging more judges to take active roles in decongesting prisons.
Chioma Onyenucheya-Uko, Chairperson of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Abuja, condemned the misuse of power in the incarceration of several women and stressed the need for legal education among women.
“Most of the women released today were never convicted. They were victims of legal abuse. We’ll continue educating women about their rights and how to seek help,” she said.
Earlier, the Controller of the Keffi Medium Security Custodial Centre, Yau Ibrahim, welcomed the initiative, describing it as a major step toward reducing overcrowding in correctional facilities.