Justice Delayed, Not Denied – S.A.’s 15-Year Ordeal and Triumph

 S.A.’s ordeal began in 2010 when he was arrested alongside three others on suspicion of armed robbery. Despite maintaining his innocence, he was remanded at Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison on February 5, 2010, without trial. While his co-accused were released in 2012 due to intervention by the Chief Justice of Lagos State, S.A. remained imprisoned—unnoticed in a different facility.

For 15 years, S.A. languished without trial, his fundamental rights violated. The justice system overlooked his case until January 15, 2025, when legal advocates filed an application demanding his freedom. On May 12, 2025, Justice M.O. Dawodu ruled in his favor, condemning the state’s delay and ordering his unconditional release. At the time of his arrest, S.A. was a shoemaker’s apprentice. Determined to survive, he honed his craft in prison, earning a trade test certificate and mastering shoemaking. His skill became a lifeline— and later, a foundation for his post-prison life. Today, S.A. is rebuilding his life as a professional shoemaker. His workshop, clients, and renewed sense of purpose stand in stark contrast to the injustice he endured. His story underscores the urgent need for prison reform and the power of resilience. '

S.A.’s case is a glaring reminder of systemic failures, but his triumph is a beacon of hope. Let it galvanize efforts to protect the rights of the unjustly detained and celebrate the human spirit’s capacity to rise.