The Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom State, Justice Ekaete Obot, has released 123 inmates, including an 18-year-old mentally challenged girl, during her second quarter 2025 jail delivery tour across four custodial centres in the state.
The exercise, which covered the Ikot Abasi, Eket, Ikot Ekpene, and Uyo Medium Security Custodial Centres, aimed to decongest prisons and uphold fundamental rights. Justice Obot described the initiative as part of the judiciary’s constitutional duty to ensure no individual is unjustly detained.
Breakdown of the releases shows 4 inmates freed in Ikot Abasi, 17 in Eket, 29 in Ikot Ekpene, and 73 in Uyo.
According to the Chief Judge, 62 of the released inmates were discharged on health grounds, suffering from conditions such as anaemia, scabies, and tuberculosis. She ordered the sanitization of the sick bay and halted further use of the affected dormitory to curb disease spread.
The mentally challenged girl, known to consume foam and non-edible items, was referred to a psychiatric hospital in Eket for evaluation and treatment.
Among other notable cases was Etieno Okon, arrested at age 15 and held five years without trial for alleged cultism. He was released alongside his father.
Justice Obot expressed concern over the high number of inmates awaiting trial, some of whom had been detained longer than the maximum sentence for their alleged offenses. Many of those freed were held for minor offenses, trumped-up charges, or due to missing case files and lack of diligent prosecution.
She urged prosecutors to uphold the rights of suspects and ensure timely prosecution, while also warning freed inmates to avoid reoffending. A sum of N300,000 was donated to assist in transporting them back to their communities.
In his remarks, Controller of Corrections in the state, Mr. Frank Okonkwo, thanked the CJ and highlighted ongoing challenges such as dilapidated infrastructure, lack of court transport vehicles, and inadequate bedding, issues worsened by the current cold season. He appealed for the CJ’s help in securing support from the state government.
