The Administration of Criminal Justice Committee and Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy have released a total of 465 inmates in Bauchi State in 2016.

Making the disclosure at Legal Year Ceremony at the High Court Complex, Bauchi, the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Ibrahim Y. Umar who commended the Nigerian Prison Service (NPS) for regular production of inmates in courts said: “Both the Administration of Criminal Justice Committee that deals on awaiting trial inmates have in the first and second quarter of the Legal Year released 78 and 215 inmates respectively. While the Advisory Committee on the prerogative of Mercy had released and pardoned 172 prison inmates including the payment of their fines.”

On the issue of condemned prisoners languishing in prisons in the state based on Sharia Laws, the Attorney-General said his Ministry through the Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy is collaborating to find lasting solution to the agony of their stay in prison through high powered meetings with the State Shari’a Commission and Council of Ulama in the state.

Also speaking at the occasion, the Bauchi State Governor, Muhammed Abdullahi Abubakar Esq. commended the Bauchi State Command of the Nigerian Prisons Service for partnering with the state government in its drive to decongest the Prisons in the state.

In her remarks, the State Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Rabi T. Umar also praised the NPS for timely production of inmates to various courts which assisted the judiciary in the speedy dispensation of justice in the state.