The Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom State, Justice Ekaette Obot, has ordered the release of 127 inmates during a routine judicial visit to correctional centres across the state.
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The release, which took place during visits to the Ikot Abasi, Eket, Ikot Ekpene, and Uyo Medium Security Custodial Centres, was part of the judiciary’s constitutional mandate to ensure justice and prevent unlawful detention, Justice Obot said during the exercise.
“This exercise aligns with the constitutional mandate of the judiciary to ensure that no person is unjustly detained without due process,” she stated.
The spokesperson of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) in Akwa Ibom, Richard Metong, disclosed the development in a statement issued on Thursday.
The Chief Judge was accompanied by a delegation comprising judicial officers, prosecutors, representatives of the Legal Aid Council, the Nigerian Bar Association, and human rights observers.
A breakdown of the inmates released shows four were freed from the Ikot Abasi centre, 17 from Eket, 29 from Ikot Ekpene, and 77 from Uyo.
Mr Metong explained that the releases were based on various legal and humanitarian grounds, including overstayed remand periods, lack of diligent prosecution, health concerns, missing case files, and other compassionate reasons.
The Controller of Corrections, Akwa Ibom State Command, Frank Okonkwo, praised the initiative, saying the visit brought relief to overcrowded facilities and renewed hope for many inmates.
“This timely exercise brings relief to our facilities, restores hope to many, and underscores the importance of periodic judicial reviews,” he said.
Mr Metong told newsmen on Friday that the exercise is conducted quarterly, and that this was the Chief Judge’s second visit of the year. During the first quarter, more than 50 inmates were released across the same four centres.
In previous visits, similar exercises have taken place. In August 2023, Punch reported that 44 inmates, including two women, were released during a visit by the Chief Judge. Earlier in March 2023, The release of 45 inmates, with Uyo centre accounting for the highest number.
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