The Chief Judge, Kwara State, Justice Abiodun Ayodele Adebara led High court Judge; Justice Ibijoke Olawoyin, Registrar; Chief Magistrate Mrs Kudirat Yahaya, Deputy Registrars, Magistrates, Area Court Judges, State Director of Public Prosecution; Barrister MAI Akande and his team, Chairman NBA , ilorin; Barrister Kosemani and his team, Kwara State Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) chairman; Comrade Lukman Afolabi and his team. Others are officers from Office of Public Defender, Legal Aid Council and journalists to the Okekura and Mandala Custodial centres on Tuesday, 17th September 2024.
The Chief Judge and other stakeholders in Criminal Justice sector in the state were welcome by Kwara State Controller, Nigerian Correctional Service, Mr. Danmaromu Ayodeji Shuaib who said mere sighting of the Chief Judge in the custodial centre gives the inmates an enduring hope for freedom. He later after the conclusion of the exercise in his closing address he urged the released inmates to be of good conduct and not to go back to crime and comply with good norms of the society.
The Chief Judge, Kwara State , Justice Abiodun Ayodele Adebara in his opening remarks admitted that the custodial facilities in the state are overcrowded and it falls within his constitutional duties to perform jail delivery which allows him to look into cases that have stayed long in court, inmates with terminal illness or offences which community service can take care of. He also promised to make his visit to the custodial centres for jail delivery as a continuous exercise. However, after reviewing many cases set free three inmates that includes Mrs Ayomide Felix and Abubakar Sidi from Okekura Custodial Centre while only Segun Ajayi was set free from Mandala Custodial Centre. He also gave matching order to the court Registrar and Deputy Registrars to expedite action in assigning all unassigned cases before the week runs out. He also called on Committee for Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) Kwara State, Office of public Defender's, Legal Aid Council and Nigerian Bar Association Ilorin branch to assist the inmates by providing free legal services and ensuring they meet the bail terms and conditions already granted to them. Also, in his closing remark The Chief Judge also admonished the released inmates to stay off crime and appreciated the state Controller, his officers and men for hosting the exercise.
Comrade Idris Saka of CDHR observed the poor recording of inmates by the officers of the Correctional Centres needed to improved on. Other CDHR members present are Barrister Ridwan Musa and Comrade A. Z Akorede.
