FCT Chief Judge Frees 35 Inmates Awaiting Trial In Keffi Custodial Centres

The Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory, Justice Husseini Baba-Yusuf, has ordered the release of 35 inmates awaiting trial from two custodial centres in Keffi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

Baba-Yusuf freed the inmates during a visit to the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Keffi, on Tuesday. The exercise, facilitated by the Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC), included the release of 33 men and two women.

Among those freed was Mohammed Abdullahi, who had been held for a year without appearing in any court.

Speaking after the exercise, Baba-Yusuf explained that the purpose of the visit was to ensure that people unjustly detained were set free. “Today, we have been able to set free 35 people who have no business being here, and that is a huge boost,” he said.

He added that such visits would be routine to prevent unnecessary suffering and safeguard citizens’ rights. He also assured inmates facing delays in their trials that new dates had been assigned for their cases and directed magistrates to improve case management to speed up court proceedings.