Jigawa State High Court has ordered the immediate release of Mr Ja’o Sabo, who was detained for over 10 years without trial, describing his incarceration as a gross violation of his fundamental rights.
Justice Ado Yusif Birnin-Kudu, delivering judgment on Tuesday at the High Court in Birnin Kudu, ruled in Sabo’s favour in a fundamental rights enforcement suit, awarding him ₦10 million in damages and directing the authorities to issue a public apology.
Sabo was arrested in 2014 over allegations of criminal conspiracy and armed robbery but remained in custody for more than a decade without his case proceeding to trial.
“The respondents are ordered to discharge the applicant, Mr Ja’o Sabo, from detention forthwith,” the judge declared.
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The court ordered the Attorney-General of Jigawa State, the Jigawa State Government, and the Commissioner of Police to jointly pay the compensation and ensure the apology is aired on major radio stations across the state.
Justice Birnin-Kudu held that the prolonged detention violated Sections 35, 36, 41, and 46 of the 1999 Constitution, as well as provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
Reacting to the ruling, Sabo’s lawyer, Baffa Al’asan, said the judgment reaffirmed the judiciary’s role in protecting citizens’ constitutional rights.
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