The Federal government has directed Magistrates across the federation
to periodically inspect police stations and other detention facilities
within their jurisdiction to uncover cases of human rights violation.
The Deputy Director of Information at the Federal Ministry of Justice,
Mrs. Ogundoro Modupe, in a statement, said the directive was handed to
Magistrates by the Federal Justice Sector Reform Coordinating
Committee at the opening of a two-day sensitisation workshop for the
South-East geo-political zone on the implementation of sections 29, 33
and 34 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA.
According to the statement, the Solicitor General of the Federation
and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr. Dayo Apata,
SAN, who doubles as Chairman of the Committee, warned that it has
become imperative for Magistrates to conduct the oversight on
detention centres as a way of addressing prison congestion and cases
of abuse allegedly taking place in detention centres across the
country.
The workshop, which was attended by Magistrates, legal practitioners
and various security agencies including the police, prisons officials,
Civil Defense and officials of the Department of State Security
Service aimed at reforming the criminal justice administration and
promotion of the rule of law.
The provisions of the identified sections were also explained to the
participants.
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