A Jigawa State High Court has ordered the immediate release of Mr. Ja’o Sabo, who was held in detention for over a decade without trial, awarding him ₦10 million in damages and mandating a public apology from the authorities.
Mr. Sabo was arrested in 2014 over allegations of criminal conspiracy and armed robbery but remained in custody for more than ten years without his case ever being brought before a court for trial.
In a judgment delivered on Tuesday at the High Court in Birnin Kudu, Justice Ado Yusif Birnin-Kudu ruled that Sabo’s prolonged detention constituted a gross violation of his fundamental rights.
“The Respondents are ordered to discharge the Applicant, Mr. Ja’o Sabo, also known as Ya’u, from detention forthwith,” the judge declared.
The court further ordered the Attorney-General of Jigawa State, the Jigawa State Government, and the Commissioner of Police to jointly pay ₦10 million as compensation for the unlawful detention.
In addition, Justice Birnin-Kudu directed the respondents to issue a public apology to Sabo, to be broadcast on major radio stations across Jigawa State.
The judge held that Sabo’s detention without trial violated Sections 35, 36, 41, and 46 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended). He also cited Articles 4, 6, 7, and 12 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which guarantee the rights to life, personal liberty, fair trial, and freedom of movement.
Reacting to the judgment, Sabo’s counsel, Baffa Al’asan, described the ruling as a strong reaffirmation of the judiciary’s commitment to protecting citizens’ fundamental rights and upholding the rule of law.
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