The Jigawa Command of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has inaugurated an 11-member Parole Board.
The Chief Judge (CJ) of Jigawa, Justice Umar Sadik, inaugurated the board on Wednesday in Dutse.
The chief judge was represented by Justice Abdulhadi Sulaiman.
He said that the incorporation of the parole system into Nigeria’s Criminal Justice Administration would decongest custodial centers and reduce administrative costs.
“The inauguration of the parole board for Jigawa State could not have come at a better time than this when the implementation of the provision of the Administration of Criminal Law is at top gear.
“It is lamentable to state that we’ve borrowed the British penal system without the accompanying safety elements of the parole system and the borstal homes.
“If the parole system had earlier been incorporated into our Criminal Justice Administration, our country and society would have been saved from prison congestion and its concomitant financial burden and frequent jailbreak,” he said.
The CJ congratulated the management of NCoS for their foresight and urged the board to discharge its duty diligently.
Earlier, the NCoS Controller in the state, Mr. Muazu Charanchi, described parole as a temporary or permanent release of a convict from lawful custody before the expiration of his sentence.
Charanchi said parole if granted, would end the punishment and service term of an inmate outside the correctional center on the promise of good behavior.
In his remarks, the Emir of Dutse, Dr. Nuhu Muhammad, commended the Federal Government for introducing the parole system and assigning competent people to serve as members of the board in the state.
Muhammad, represented by the Galadiman Dutse, Alhaji Nasiru Sunusi, said the system would help in decongesting custodial facilities.
“As a traditional institution, we’re satisfied with the caliber of people nominated by the Federal Government to serve as members of the parole board in Jigawa.
“We believe that the nomination was done based on merit and hearing the names of those nominated, we know that they merited it,” Muhammad said.
The emir, therefore, urged the board and media to educate members of the public against rejecting or stigmatizing those released from custodial facilities.
“It is worrying that if an inmate was released from custody upon completion of his jail term, he finds it very difficult to reintegrate into society due to rejection or stigmatization by the society, or even family members in some instances.
“Therefore it will be good if people, particularly at the grassroots will fully be educated on this parole system.
“So that they don’t begin to suspect that such inmates released back to society on a parole basis were released illegally.
“It will also be good so that they will not be rejected or stigmatized; the aim will be defeated if the parolees are not accepted back by their respective communities or families,” he added.
The parole board has retired Justice Ahmed Isah-Gumel as Chairman, while Muhammad Lawan, Assistant Controller, Non-Custodial Service NCoS Jigawa Command, will serve as Secretary.
Some of the members include the NCoS Controller in the state, representatives of the Police, the Ministry of Justice, the Psychiatric Hospital, the National Directorate of Employment, and the Federal University Dutse.
