The Rivers State Judiciary has released 23 inmates from correctional centres across the state in the first phase of its 2026 prison decongestion exercise.
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The exercise, conducted on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, followed a directive by the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Chibuzor-Amadi, as part of efforts to reduce overcrowding in custodial facilities and prevent inmates from being detained beyond the period permitted by law.
Judicial officers visited correctional centres in Port Harcourt, Ahoada and Degema, where they reviewed the cases of inmates to determine whether their continued detention remained legally justified and identify those who qualified for release.
The Chief Registrar of the Rivers State High Court, David Ihua-Maduenyi, said the exercise was intended to ensure that deserving inmates were not kept in custody unnecessarily, particularly in cases where continued detention could no longer be justified under the law.
Following the review, 18 inmates were released from the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre, while five others regained their freedom at the Ahoada Correctional Centre.
No inmate was released from the Degema Correctional Centre after the judicial officers reviewed the cases of persons detained at the facility.
Ihua-Maduenyi identified the judicial officers who conducted the exercise as Chief Magistrates Menenen F. Poromon, Ilanye D. Brown, N. N. Nnee and Obiareri N. Anugbum, alongside Senior Magistrates Wobia C. Akanie, Harold B. Nwinee and ThankGod Ndukwu.
The exercise forms part of the Rivers State Judiciary’s continuing intervention in the administration of criminal justice, particularly its efforts to address overcrowding in correctional facilities, protect the rights of detainees and ensure compliance with constitutional and statutory safeguards governing detention.
The Judiciary said periodic reviews of inmates’ cases would remain an important part of its justice-sector interventions, allowing judicial authorities to identify cases requiring urgent attention and ensure that the continued detention of inmates is subjected to proper legal scrutiny.
According to the Chief Registrar, the Judiciary remains committed to protecting the rights of persons in custody and supporting measures aimed at reducing congestion in correctional facilities across Rivers State.
The release of the 23 inmates marks the first phase of the 2026 decongestion exercise, with further periodic reviews and related interventions expected to continue as part of efforts to strengthen the administration of justice in the state.
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