As a measure to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Ibrahim Tanko 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 are 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.”
There are already speculations that the former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Olisa Metuh, may be released, based on the directives, and pre-existing health conditions, that may make him vulnerable to the coronavirus.
More later…
