Stakeholders in the Kano State justice sector on Thursday urged courts in the state to be cautious in ordering the remand of suspected pregnant women, juveniles and insane persons in prison custody.
The stakeholders, comprising High Court judges, magistrates, police officers, prison wardens, prosecutors, defence lawyers expressed their worry in a communiqué issued at the end of a two-day programme organized by Isa Wali Empowerment Initiative, with the theme, ‘The protections and privileges of persons under detention, the august body.’
The communiqué, signed by the Executive Secretary, IWEI, Hajiya Amina Hanga, noted that unnecessary adjournment of court cases was among the major reasons for violation of rights of persons in detention and congestion of prison facilities in the state.
It stated that stakeholders were uncomfortable with the pathetic conditions of persons in detention, explaining that the lack of adequate manpower in the justice sector, especially Nigeria Police, prison service and the lack of professional court interpreters, coupled, with the lack of communication between detainees and their relatives were factors identified to be militating against access to justice in the state.
Also, the communiqué read, “The absence of human rights desk officers at police stations within local government areas are among the stringent factors frustrating the protection of the rights and privileges of persons in detention.
“The stakeholders in session noted that the authorities affected should address the shortage of manpower bedeviling the Nigeria Police, Nigeria Prison Service and the judiciary against the current situation whereby officers and men of these services were assigned to execute dual roles, a situation that facilitates the encroachment and violation of the rights and privileges of persons.’’
