As part of measures to stem the spread of the coronavirus disease, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Muhammad has directed all Chief Judges (at the federal and state levels) to urgently take steps to decongest correctional centres across the country.
Muhammad gave the directive in a circular issued on Friday, in his capacity as the Chairman of the National Judicial Council (NJC).
READ ALSO: COVID-19: FG Moves To Decongest Nigerian Correctional Service
He directed the Chief Judges to ensure speedy disposal of criminal cases, while they are to visit prisons within their jurisdictions to release deserving inmates.
The CJN, who lamented the large number of awaiting trial inmates in prisons, said: “it has become imperative for your lordships to embark on immediate visit to all custodial/correctional centres within your respective states to identify and release deserving inmates, where that has not been done already.”