As part of efforts to decongest correctional centres in Katsina State, the Chief Judge, Justice Musa Danladi, on Thursday granted bail to 91 inmates and discharged four others during a jail delivery exercise.
The exercise, held at the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Katsina, was the first quarter jail delivery session for 2025.
Speaking at the event, Justice Danladi revealed that the released inmates were recommended by the Sub-Committee on Decongestion of Correctional Centres based on various considerations, including age, length of time in custody, and health conditions.
The PUNCH gathered that some of the freed inmates had spent years in detention without trial, while others were granted bail on compassionate grounds.
Justice Danladi further announced that going forward, details of released inmates, including their photographs, would be documented for future reference.
He urged the freed inmates to turn a new leaf, warning that any of them caught committing another offence may not be lucky enough to benefit from such an intervention again.
On his part, the Katsina State Controller of Corrections, Umar Baba, commended the Chief Judge for the initiative, noting that it had helped in managing overcrowding and reducing tension in correctional facilities.
“The jail delivery exercise has significantly contributed to easing congestion in our facilities, reducing tensions among inmates, and enhancing the process of rehabilitation,” Baba said.
He also appealed to judges and magistrates to adopt non-custodial sentencing measures to further reduce the pressure on correctional centres and enable them to effectively reform and reintegrate inmates into society.