Moyosore Olarinoye reports,
Prof. M.L. Ahmadu Chambers, Faculty of Law at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto (UDUS), has on Saturday, 20th of June, 2026, visited the Sokoto Security Service Medium Custodial Centre.
The exercise, which attracted students across different levels of the faculty, aimed at providing law students with an opportunity to interact with inmates and assess their living conditions, and also exposed them to the realities of the Nigerian criminal justice system.
Speaking with DIGEST PRESS reporter after the visit, Abdulroqeeb Jimoh, a 500-level law student, described the experience as "sweet and sad."
According to him, the detention of some inmates for minor offences that could have been resolved amicably outside the prison system is alarming.
Similarly, Khadijah Nazukun, a 200-level law student, supported this view, stating that some inmates appeared undeserving of incarceration.
"There are some inmates who, in my opinion, do not deserve to be there, as there appears to be no concrete evidence establishing their guilt," she remarked.
However, AbdulGaniy Farouq, a 100-level law student, offered a contrasting perspective. He cautioned that not all claims of innocence made by inmates should be accepted at face value.
"There was a particular interview that had a profound impact on me. It made me realise how manipulative some inmates can be.
"As a law student, I now appreciate the importance of acquiring the skills necessary to obtain reliable information and critically assess the credibility of individuals," he said.
Speaking on the rationale behind the initiative, the Principal Partner of Prof. M.L. Ahmadu Chambers, Abdulrasak Kamaldeen, SAS, a 500-level law student, explained that the visit was organised to help students appreciate the value of freedom and gain first-hand insight into the realities of the Nigerian justice system beyond the confines of the classroom.
According to him, the experience would expose students to critical issues such as prolonged detention without trial and provided them with a practical understanding of how the criminal justice system operates in Nigeria.
He further expressed optimism that the Chamber could, where possible, facilitate legal assistance for some inmates by connecting them with legal practitioners and other relevant stakeholders