Justice Delivery: PRAWA Equips Kano Parole Board
The Prisoners Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA) has trained members of the Kano State Parole Board to strengthen their capacity for effective justice delivery.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the training, held in Kano on Wednesday, was conducted under the Advancing Implementation of Non-Custodial Solutions (AI-NCS) Project.
NAN also reports that the project is funded by the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) II Programme in collaboration with International IDEA.
The Programme Manager for the Implementation of Non-Custodial Solutions Project at PRAWA, Mrs. Katumi Oboirien, said the two-day training aimed to enhance the capacity of the state parole board members.
According to her, the training was also designed to equip participants with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively execute their mandates.
Oboirien highlighted the importance of aligning parole administration with the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 and the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) Act 2019 through the proper application of parole protocols.
“The NCoS Act 2019 provides for the implementation of non-custodial measures, including parole. In line with this, parole boards were established in various states in 2022, including the Kano State Parole Board, to ensure the effective utilization of these measures,” Oboirien said.
She explained that parole involves the conditional release of an inmate who has served one-third of their sentence in a custodial center.
“Parole is one of the non-custodial solutions; others include community service, restorative justice, and suspended sentencing. The NCoS Act 2019 provides the legal framework for an inmate’s release on parole, but there are conditions,” she said.
The Act, she added, also grants the NCoS Controller-General the power to constitute a parole board.
She further stated that the primary responsibility of the parole board is to work closely with parole officers in custodial centers to identify inmates eligible for parole.
“Parole is not a right but a privilege. Inmates must meet all the listed criteria to ensure they do not pose a threat to the community when released,” she added.
The Chairman of the Kano State Parole Board, Justice A.T. Badamasi, said the training had equipped board members and provided the necessary structures for implementing the non-custodial solutions project.
“Since its inauguration sometime in 2022, the board has faced logistical challenges that hindered its functionality,” Badamasi said.
The Controller of Corrections, Kano State Command, Mr. Ado Inuwa, said the selection of parole board members was based on their track records of performance.
He urged them to apply their wealth of experience in carrying out their mandates effectively.
NAN
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