My people, big news don land o! For Jigawa State, wahala don end for one man wey dey inside jail for more than ten years without trial. Na true matter I dey talk! Na the High Court wey gree release am, and e no dey joke at all!
This man, wey name na Ja’o Sabo, or some people fit call him Ya’u, na him dey waka come outside after Justice Ado Yusif Birnin-Kudu deliver the judgment. E say as dem keep dis guy for over ten years without any legal matter, na serious violation of him fundamental rights.
Ya’u Sabo been capture for 2014, dem carry am go court for Gumel because dem suspect am say e dey do armed robbery and conspiracy. But na wah! Dem no fit push him matter go trial level since then. So, e just dey chill for jail like say na holiday, wey no dey end!
Justice Birnin-Kudu no carry matter play, e talk say this long detention na serious abuse of the constitution. As e dey talk, e bring out sections wey concern personal liberty and fair hearing from the 1999 Constitution. E no stop there o! E also use the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights to show say wetin don happen no make sense at all.
As part of the judgment, court give order say make dem release Sabo immediately, no strings attached. Plus, dem go pay am N10 million for the wahala and suffer wey he don face during this long stretch for inside prison. E come be like say dem suppose carry microphone come shout “weyrey, weyrey” for radio, because dem also order say make dem apologize to Sabo on top radio stations as part of the punishment!
Lawyer wey represent Sabo, Barrister Baffa Al’asan, don talk say this judgment na big sign say judiciary dey stand for the people’s right. E add say no one suppose dey locked up without trial, especially for place wey democracy dey reign. He beckon on top the authorities make dem follow the court order sharp-sharp to allow Sabo rebuild him life.
This whole matter dey show how police matter, and the way justice dey work for Naija, need repair. People dey talk say we need to free those wey dey inside correctional centres without any trial. E be like say this story go spark more gist about how our justice system dey run!
Do you have a news tip for NNN? Please email us at editor @ nnn.ng
