Jigawa NLC Frees Nursing Mother From Prison, Settles Fine

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Women’s Wing, Jigawa State chapter, has secured the release of a 22-year-old nursing mother from Garki Correctional Centre after settling her fine.

The chairperson of the NLC Women’s Wing, Comrade Salma Ilyasu Abubakar, revealed this while briefing newsmen on some humanitarian activities it carried out in commemoration of the 2026 International Women’s Day.

She said when they visited the Correctional Centre in Garki to deliver some assistance, the group noticed a young lady carrying a two-month-old baby.

“After making an enquiry, we found out that she was detained for failing to pay a fine imposed by the court and after a few months, she gave birth in the centre.

“We asked our lawyer to follow up on the case, which he eventually did, and we secured her release after paying the fine,” Abubakar said.

She, however, described the condition of the correctional centres as very pitiable, urging collaborative efforts to address the problems.

The unionist added that based on their engagement with many inmates, they learned that a large number of inmates were held for minor civil cases that could be resolved without jailing them.

The chairperson therefore called on judges to consider the condition of pregnant women when delivering judgment, and to treat anyone with minor civil cases with mercy, providing an alternative to detention at correctional centres.

She promised to keep on visiting correctional centres and also encouraged other unions to do so for the rescue of people with special conditions like the nursing mother.