The Acting Chief Judge of Kano State, Justice Nura Sagir, has freed 12 Awaiting Trial Inmates (ATI) who over had stayed in captivity.

The gesture of the judge was part of the processes to decongest over-populated prisons in pursuant to the power conferred on him by section 1 of the criminal Justice (Released from custody) special provisions Act 1977.

The release of the inmates was made after a visit by the Chief Judge to Goron Dutse Prison where he reviewed their case Files.

Sagir also promised to assist in the decongestion of prisons by speedy trial of cases in High Courts, Magistrates and Sharia Courts and called on prisons authorities to cooperate with the Judiciary in the exercise.

He urged the freed inmates to be good ambassadors of their community.

Earlier in his remarks, the Comptroller of prison, Alhaji Aliyu Achor, said the Nigerian prison Services was willing to cooperate with the State Judiciary in reducing the menace of congestion in prison.

The Kano Command of the Nigerian Prison Service (NPS) had listed 43 awaiting trial inmates with minor offences who have stayed for four years and above in the 10 prisons in the state.

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