By Suleiman Yakubu

In continuation of her 2024 visits to decongest custodial facilities across the state, no fewer than 12 inmates were freed by the Chief Judge of Niger State, Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik.
Five of the inmates who had been convicted and were serving various jail terms at the Minna Old Medium Security Custodial Centre were pardoned by the chief judge based on their good conduct, show of remorsefulness, and having served a reasonable period of their sentences.
The CJ said the pardoned inmates were released based on the term served and their good character.
She urged them to see that the jail term served as a lesson to live a good life and desist from any activities that would bring them back to the correctional centre.
Also speaking, Controller Correction, Mohammed Isah Hamisu, said that they monitored the activities of the pardoned inmates who showed hard work and remorsefulness and, as such, recommended their pardon.
He urged them not to disappoint them by committing offences that would bring them back to jail.
Mohammed Sani Yakubu, jailed for four years, had served two years; Zulai Danjuma was jailed for two years and has served one year; Kabiru Mohammed and Abubakar Musa, jailed for three years, had served two years and six months; and Yusuf Anas, jailed for one year, had served for nine months.
Seven other inmates were discharged for lack of evidence to continue with their cases.
The discharged inmates were Ibrahim Ndazo, Abdullahi Umar, Isah Abdullahi, Bilyanu Saidu, Ibrahim Mohammed Auta, Umar Abubakar, and Abdullahi Abubakar.
The pardoned and the discharged inmates were grateful to the CJ, as some of them could not hold back their tears and promised to be of good conduct.      

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Niger State Chief Judge, Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik, has discharged Abubakar Umar, 20, from the Nigerian Correctional Service Medium Security Custodial Centre, Suleja.
Justice Halima discharged the inmate during the 2024 Honourable Chief Judge's Custodial Centre Visit when she paid a special visit to the Suleja Custodial Centre, Suleja.
The inmate who was fortunate to be discharged out of the 447 inmates at the custodial centre had been in custody for a year without trial.
Justice Halima urged the discharged inmate, who was shading tears of joy, to be of good character and desist from action that would bring him back to the custodial centre.
Also, five other inmates—Abubakar Sani, Usman Falalu, Mohammed Sani Haruna, Mohammed Sani, and Blessing Omeka—were granted access to bail should they meet the demands, and they were expected to report to court on a monthly basis.
Earlier, on arrival at the Suleja Custodial Centre, Justice Halima said that the exercise was a periodic one aimed at decongesting the centre.
She expressed satisfaction with the lower number of inmates at the correctional centre and assured that the judiciary will continue to adopt the non-custodial punitive measures on cases brought before it.
While receiving the Chief Judge, Controller Francis John commended Justice Halima for the visit, as it will help in decongesting the custodial centre.
He assured the CJ that they were in partnership with the courts as they were duty-bound to interpret the decisions of the courts.