Fundamental Right Violation: 101 Nigerians Remanded At Kirikiri Prison For 10 Years Without Trial – Council

The Legal Aid Council has disclosed that about 101 persons are languishing at the Kirikiri maximum correctional center for over 10 years awaiting trial.

This was contained in its Statutory Report at the  2022 Nigerian Bar Association Annual General Conference, obtained by our correspondent.

Awaiting Trial Persons(ATP) are those who were arrested and kept in prison by a remand order from a court sitting pending either ruling on bail application or conclusion of the case.

The Legal Aid Council is a parastatal supervised by the Federal Ministry of Justice, saddled with the responsibility of providing free legal services to indigent Nigerians.

In its report, Director-General of the Council, Ailyu Bagudu Abubakar Esq, told the NBA that there was a need to speed up administration of criminal justice.

The council admitted that remanding such persons in prison for long without trial was unlawful.

Abubakar added that the council has filed fundamental rights applications on  behalf of the 101 ATPs before the Federal High Court, Lagos.

He said, “ A special task force was set up by the  Director General to speedily handle these cases and we are getting result of these actions.

“30 ATPs were recently released from Keffi Correctional Centre as a result of this special  intervention by LAC.

“Currently there are applications for the enforcement of  fundamental rights of 101 ATPs of Kirikiri Maximum Correctional Centre who have  spent over 10 years in custody without trial before the Federal High Court in Lagos.”

He assured that the council will keep  embarking on visits to correctional services centers across the country  towards case loading and providing legal aid services to ATPs  that have stayed long in correctional custody.

Meanwhile, Council asked for support in the following areas: I. Recruitment of additional Legal personnel, II. Improved funding, III. Well-equipped libraries at the Headquarters, Zonal, State and LGA Offices; IV. Improved Emoluments and financial implementation of the Legal Aid Council  staff conditions of service.