7 Inmates Spend 17 Years In Katsina Prison Awaiting Trial -Forum.

The FCT branch of the Katsina State Unity Forum has called on the Katsina judiciary to revisit the cases of seven inmates languishing in the Katsina prison for more than 16 years without trial.

The Chairman of the forum, Alhaji Aliyu Bala, made the call in Katsina on Friday when he led other members on a visit to the Katsina Central Prison to provide support to the inmates.

He called for the quick dispensation of justice, noting that the inmates had spent more than the prison terms for their offences.

Bala said that such a measure would make the inmates regain their freedom if not found guilty, pointing out that some of them had robbery charges against them and had been taken to court 50 times but the cases were not heard.

He, therefore, urged the chief judge of the state to intervene in order not to trample on the human rights of the inmates.

The chairman expressed the forum’s determination to support the inmates and the prison itself.

Bala urged wealthy individuals and other NGOs to also support prisons, saying the forum planned to construct additional rooms in the Katsina prison.

Responding, Alhaji Ibrahim Gide, a Deputy Controller of Prisons, thanked the forum for its support and assured it that the items donated would be used judiciously.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a large quantity of rubber mats and blankets was donated to the

inmates.