A High Court sitting at Uke, Nasarawa State has awarded the sum of 2 Million Naira in damages against the Commissioner of Police, Nasarawa for the unlawful and continuous detention of Mr. Stephen Jonah who has been in Keffi Maximum Security Correctional Facility since 2022.
The REJA Team met the Applicant during one of its routine visits to the Keffi Correctional Centre and immediately swung into action by filing a fundamental rights enforcement case on his behalf. The case between Stephen Jonah and Commissioner of Police, Nasarawa State and the Attorney General of Nasarawa State with Suit No: NSD/MG610/2023 was filed before the Court on the 5th of December 2023.
The Court in its judgement held that the Nasarawa Police Command ‘failed to comply with the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Nasarawa State’ and wrongfully violated the Applicant’s right to freedom and dignity as a Nigerian Citizen. The Court further ordered the unconditional release of Mr. Stephen Jonah from the Keffi Correctional Centre.
The court’s decision is a significant victory for justice and human rights. We call upon the Attorney General of Nasarawa State and the Assistant Controller of Corrections, Nasarawa State to comply with the court’s order and release Stephen Jonah immediately.
Every week, volunteer lawyers and paralegals visit correctional facilities across Nigeria as a strong commitment to improving access to justice for indigent inmates who have been trapped in the justice system and forgotten by the ones who swore to protect their rights. We reiterate our commitment to people who have been abandoned behind bars simply for being poor and having no one to speak for them.
We urge all stakeholders in the criminal justice system to play their part in ensuring the human rights of persons are respected and the criminal laws of the country are followed strictly.
The disturbing trend of law enforcement agents remanding and forgetting people behind bars for years only to file unsubstantiated charges when a fundamental rights action is instituted must be strongly condemned and discouraged.
