Nine Nigerian #EndSARS Protesters Released From Ibadan Prison After Illegal Detention Since 2020

As many as nine people who were charged and detained over the 2020 #EndSARS protests in Oyo state have finally secured freedom, SaharaReporters reports.

They were released by the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Munta Abimbola.

They were among 100 inmates of the Agodi Correctional Centre, Ibadan, Southwest Nigeria, released on Monday and Tuesday, by the CJ under the prerogative of mercy.

Justice Abimbola, however, said the release of the nine #EndSARS protesters has brought the #EndSARS cases in the state to a conclusion.

The #EndSARS protesters are Adeshina Muyiwa, Ikechuckwu Eze, Ariyo Sodiq, Ikenna Amaechi, Oyewole Olumide, Ariyo Afeez, Taoreed Abiodun, Adekunle Moruf and Rasheed Tiamiyu. They were accused of murder, stealing police rifles, and burning a police station, among others in connection with the #EndSARS of October 2020.

Youths in some states across the country in October 2020 protested against police brutality and specifically for the disbandment of a police unit notorious for extrajudicial killings and human rights violations – the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), hence the reason why the protests were tagged #EndSARS.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that a 16-year-old boy (juvenile) charged with alleged murder was also among the inmates that were released.

Justice Abimbola said the boy is underage and could be more hardened if he continued to stay in prison.

He added that the teenager’s mother had agreed to take him for rehabilitation and that he (Justice Abimbola) would monitor him.

Justice Abimbola released the first batch of 58 inmates on Monday and released the second batch of 42 inmates on Tuesday.

Speaking about the judicial gesture, the CJ said it followed the recommendations of the Oyo State Monitoring Committee on the Administration of Criminal Justice Law, which he led.

He said the committee considered cases and lists of inmates brought by the correctional centre by non-governmental organisations and the Ibadan chapter of the Nigerian Bar Association on the prerogative of mercy.

Stating the criteria considered in releasing the beneficiaries, Justice Abimbola said it was based on age, health challenges and prolonged detention.

He noted that the exercise was also in tune with his power of release and prerogative of mercy to aid prison decongestion.

The chief judge expressed dismay at the number of awaiting-trial-persons and called on lawyers to live up to their responsibility of protecting the rights of citizens.

The chief judge observed that justice is tripartite, namely justice for the defendant, justice for the victim and justice for society.

Earlier, the Comptroller of Prisons at the facility, Sunday Ogundipe described the exercise as historic for him considering that it was his first experience.

He thanked the chief judge and his team for meeting the need to decongest the prison.

He added that the Agodi Correctional Centre has the capacity to hold only 339 inmates, but had not less than 1,109 inmates.

NBA Ibadan Chairman, Folasade Aladeniyi, remarked that the issue of prison decongestion was of utmost importance to stakeholders.

Mrs Aladeniyi commended Justice Abimbola and the team, noting that the exercise was a step in the right direction where people deserving of mercy were duly considered.

Justice Ladiran Akintola of Oyo State High Court admonished those released not to truncate the mercy they received by going back to crime.