The National stakeholders committee on Prison Reforms and Decongestion under the chairmanship of the Chief Judge of FCT, Justice Ishaq Bello, were in Sokoto state on Tuesday, 11th September, 2018 to fast track the implementation of the Federal Executive council’s directive to decongest prisons nationwide.
The committee which also comprises the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Chika Malami (SAN), officials of the Federal Ministry of Justice, representative of the Nigerian Prisons Service, ACG Abubakar Garba, and others were earlier received by the Controller of Prisons Sokoto State Command, Haliru Nababa, upon their arrival.
In his speech at Sokoto Central Prison, the committee chairman stated that “we are in sokoto on the mandate of the Federal Executive Council to fast track prison decongestion through settlement of fines, and with the consultation of state High Court and state Ministry of Justice, inmates with special cases such as old age, illness, mental illness, civil cases and those that are remorseful will be discharged ”
During the committee’s tour of prison formations namely; Sokoto Central Prison, Prison Farm centre, Bissalam, Gwadabawa, Wurno and Tambuwal satellite prisons, a total of 71 inmates regained their freedom.
The Controller of Prisons Sokoto State Command, Haliru Nababa, appreciated the Federal Government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari for the giants stride in this direction. He also commended the Minister of Interior, (Rtd) Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Bello Danbazau PhD, CFR, and the Controller General of Prisons, Ahmed Ja’afaru, for their excellent leadership and pray the exercise will be sustained.
Those in attendance during the event were the Representative of the Executive Governor of Sokoto state, Barrister Suleman Usman(SAN), Chief Judge of Sokoto state, Justice Bello Abbas, officials from the state ministry of Justice, legal practioners and members of the Press.