Birnin Kudu, Jigawa State – A Jigawa State High Court has ordered the immediate release of Mr. Ja’o Sabo, who spent more than a decade in detention without trial, awarding him N10 million in damages and mandating a public apology from state authorities.
Sabo was arrested in 2014 over allegations of criminal conspiracy and armed robbery, yet his case never progressed to trial. In a fundamental rights enforcement suit, Justice Ado Yusif Birnin-Kudu ruled on Tuesday that Sabo’s prolonged detention constituted a gross violation of his constitutional rights.
“The Respondents are ordered to discharge the Applicant, Mr. Ja’o Sabo alias Ya’u, from detention forthwith,” the judge declared.
The court also directed the Attorney-General of Jigawa State, the state government, and the Commissioner of Police to jointly pay Sabo N10 million in compensation and issue a public apology broadcast on major radio stations across Jigawa State.
Justice Birnin-Kudu cited violations of Sections 35, 36, 41, and 46 of the 1999 Constitution, as well as Articles 4, 6, 7, and 12 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, emphasizing the breach of Sabo’s fundamental rights.
Reacting to the judgment, Sabo’s lawyer, Baffa Al’asan, hailed the ruling as a reaffirmation of the judiciary’s duty to protect citizens’ rights and uphold constitutional provisions.
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