During a judicial oversight visit to the Suleja Medium Security Custodial Centre on December 12, 2024, the Chief Judge of the FCT High Court, Hon. Justice Husseini Baba-Yusuf, took decisive action to address grave injustices and inefficiencies plaguing Nigeria’s criminal justice system.

The visit, which involved other judges and a legal team from the civic tech organization Tech4Justice, uncovered alarming issues such as inmates being detained far longer than their potential sentences and the Custodial Centre having only a single van to transport inmates to over 100 courts for trial. Inmates are even forced to pay exorbitant fees ranging from ₦14,000 to ₦25,000 just to attend their own trials due to a lack of fuel.

In response, Chief Judge Baba-Yusuf immediately ordered the release of three inmates who had been unjustly detained beyond the maximum term for their alleged offenses. He also instructed judges and magistrates to dismiss cases where the Nigerian Correctional Service fails to produce defendants in court on three or four occasions. Several long-delayed pending cases were scheduled for accelerated hearings the next day.

The Tech4Justice legal team, led by citizen_gavel, played an active role in rectifying these injustices during the oversight visit. They covered the ₦50,000 fine for a convicted inmate to secure his release and took on legal representation for an awaiting-trial inmate who previously lacked counsel.

“These systemic failures and inefficiencies in our justice system are unacceptable,” stated citizen_gavel. “Detaining people for longer than the maximum sentence, lacking resources to transport inmates to court, and magistrates personally paying for fuel to keep trials going – it’s appalling. We commend the Chief Judge for taking immediate corrective actions and pledge to continue advocating for much-needed reforms.”

The revelations from the Suleja Custodial Centre exemplify the urgent need for greater judicial oversight, improved access to justice, and comprehensive criminal justice reforms across Nigeria. Civic organizations like Tech4Justice remain committed to collaborating with judicial leaders to address these critical issues and uphold the fundamental rights of all Nigerians.

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