The Nigerian Senate on Thursday in Abuja passed the Criminal Justice (Release from Custody) Special Provisions Act (Amendment) Bill 2014 into law.
The law will help in the decongestion of prisons across the country and was passed into law after a clause-by- clause consideration by senators.
The law seeks to compel the Comptroller-General of Prison to send monthly records of the entire inmates of prisons to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and the Chief Judge of the relevant states.
Also, the chief judicial officer (state and federal) shall order release of inmates who fall under the category of persons whose detention is manifestly unlawful or persons detained and have been in custody.
Similarly, inmates who are on remand or otherwise, for a period longer than the maximum period of imprisonment, which the persons detained could have served if they had been convicted, would be released.
Senate President David Mark, who presided over the passage of the bill, said the law would help in the efforts to reposition the judiciary in the country.
“I want to congratulate all of us for passing this bill because of its importance,’’ he said.