SaharaReporters has uncovered how police cells in Kaduna State are terribly congested with more than 300 suspects crammed into a single cell.
It was gathered that this was due to the inability of courts to sit following the Coronavirus outbreak.
Top security sources told SaharaReporters that the deplorable situation of police cells in the state had led to the deaths of many suspects in custody. 
It was also gathered that the overcrowding was as a result of police refusal to grant bail to suspects after the courts were shut by government.
Findings showed that some of the suspects were transferred from the Criminal Investigation Department while others were dumped into police cells after correctional centers refused to accept them over COVID-19 fears.
SaharaReporters gathered that some of the suspects are sick and in dire need of medical attention.
A source, who pleaded anonymity, said most suspects granted bail were sent back to police stations rather than correctional centres.
He narrated the miserable condition of the suspects in custody and how they were malnourished.
The source also disclosed that the police had secretly buried many suspects, who died custody.
Saharareporters gathered that some concerned citizens have written to the Chief Registrar and Chief Judge of Kaduna State high court, Murtala Zubairu, to notify them about the pitiable situation of the suspects but they had refused to take any action on the matter.
Spokesman for the Kaduna State Police Command, Mohammed Jalige, who spoke to our correspondent, confirmed the congestion of the police cells in the state.
He explained that most of the offences committed by the suspects were not bailable ones.
He added that the command was worried over the development and that something would be done to address the situation next week.
He said, " All the suspects there cannot be released. So, we charged them to court and the correctional centres are no longer accepting convicts into their facility.
"The courts were left with the option to send the suspects back to police custody."
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