A High Court in Jigawa State has ordered the immediate release of a man who spent more than a decade in detention without trial, awarded him N10 million in damages and directed government authorities to issue a formal public apology.
The judgment was delivered on Tuesday by Justice Ado Yusif Birnin-Kudu, who presided over a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by Mr. Ja’o Sabo, also known as Ya’u, at the High Court sitting in Birnin Kudu.
Mr. Sabo had been arrested in 2014 on allegations of criminal conspiracy and armed robbery but was never brought to trial. According to court records, his case did not progress to a competent trial court for more than 10 years, leaving him in prolonged custody without a determination of guilt or innocence.
In his ruling, Justice Birnin-Kudu held that such extended detention without trial constituted a “gross violation” of Sabo’s constitutional rights. The judge cited relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), including Sections 35, 36, 41 and 46, which guarantee personal liberty, fair hearing and due process. He also referenced the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, particularly Articles on the right to life and integrity, personal liberty, fair trial and freedom of movement.
“The Respondents are ordered to discharge the Applicant, Mr Ja’o Sabo alias Ya’u, from detention forthwith,” Justice Birnin-Kudu declared in court, emphasising the unlawful nature of the confinement.
In addition to ordering Sabo’s release, the court directed the Attorney-General of Jigawa State, the Jigawa State Government, and the Commissioner of Police to jointly pay N10 million as compensation for the years of unlawful detention and hardship endured.
Crucially, the judge also ordered the respondents to issue a formal public apology to Mr. Sabo, to be broadcast on major radio stations across the state, a directive aimed at restoring his dignity and acknowledging the breach of his rights.
Reacting to the judgment, Sabo’s counsel, Barrister Baffa Al’asan, described the ruling as a reaffirmation of the judiciary’s pivotal role in safeguarding citizens’ fundamental rights and upholding constitutional guarantees.
The decision is expected to resonate broadly within legal and human rights circles, highlighting systemic challenges in Nigeria’s criminal justice system, particularly concerning prolonged detentions without trial.
