The non-custodian sentencing will simply give convicts the freedom.

USPA NEWS - Press Release from Nigeria Central Office, IHRC
2/11/2020

The International Human Rights Commission has again celebrated her relationship with the Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory: Hon. Justice Ishaq Usman Bello, as he fulfills his promises to IHRC Nigeria Central Office.
Disclosing this today, the Head of Legal Department of IHRC Nigeria Central Office Barrister Solomon Agada, said that it is historical the proposal of IHRC to finally find a permanent solution to prison congestion. Reiterating that prison congestion has been permanently eradicated by the actualization of the promises by Hon Justice Ishaq Usman Bello.

To this effect, Hon Justice Ishaq Usman Bello has signed into law the custodian and non-custodian practice officially today.
While speaking during the occasion, Justice Ishaq Usman Bello said that “sentencing should not be imposed whimsically or on impulse but rather based on clearly spelled out principles and criteria. He maintained that sentencing guidelines are developed to inform sentencing in law.

These guidelines will therefore provide a system for handing down uniform or consistencies for similar crimes where it is strictly followed". He further reaffirmed that this has to be developed and remodeled to assist the Judge to decide with the potential to eliminate confusion among judges in determining the proper punishment for a convict, taking into consideration factors such as nature of the crime, prior criminal stories, and public interest. Henceforth, this new practice directive took into consideration non-custodian sentencing options.

He said that “why imprisonment is necessary in many cases involving offenders especially those who exhibited violence, it is not a panacea when the focus is on crime prevention or social reintegration of offenders". While responding, Barr. Solomon explained that with the implementation of this new practice directive, the authorities must adjust to penal sanctions to the needs of the individual offenders in a manner proportionate to the offense committed rather than individualizing sentencing. The non-custodian sentencing will simply give convicts the freedom or liberty to work or go to school, and live his or her family life.

Finally eliminating prison congestion in Nigeria, the Nigeria Central Office and West African Special Monitoring Mission, therefore, use the occasion to further endorse Hon Justice Ishaq Usman Bello as the best Chief Judge in the history of Nigeria. Said : Barr. Solomon Agada Head of Legal Department, IHRC Nigeria Central Office, Abuja.