Lack of Vehicles Stops 46 Inmates from Going to Court in A’Ibom

No fewer than 46 inmates waiting for trial at the Medium Security Correctional Centre in Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State cannot attend their court hearings. This is due to the lack of operational vehicles to take them to court.

The Officer-in-Charge of the facility, Chief Superintendent of Corrections Samuel Bassey, made this known during a visit by members of the Eket Federal Constituency Media Professionals Forum.

Bassey explained that some inmates have been held at the facility since 2023 after being brought in from Nsit Ubium Local Government Area. He said these inmates have never made it to court because there are no vehicles available for their transport.

To solve this issue, the correctional authorities have started hiring commercial buses to take inmates to court. “Sometimes we have to go to the local park to hire mini buses that will convey inmates to the court. The decision is very risky as you must ensure that the person you engage is trustworthy,” he said.

Bassey questioned how justice can be served when inmates cannot appear before the courts. “Our jurisdiction covers nine local government areas with 18 courts. It is difficult to take the inmates to court without having operational vehicles. None of our vehicles are functional. Even the one at the workshop cannot be fixed.

“We really need support to discharge our duties effectively,” he said.

The officer-in-charge mentioned that the facility has sent several letters to the authorities asking for operational vehicles but has not received any reply. He called on governments at all levels, corporate bodies, NGOs, and philanthropists to help, saying the situation is “very worrisome” for both inmates and staff.

Bassey pointed out that the last vehicle given to the centre was during the time of former Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio, who is now the President of the Senate.

He also raised concerns about the state of the facility's infrastructure. He said heavy rains in the southern part of the country have caused many roofs to get damaged, leaving inmates exposed to harsh weather.

“Concerning the state of infrastructure, you can see that the heavy rains in the southern part of the country have caused several roofs in the facility to wear out and exposed inmates to harsh weather conditions. There is nothing we can do on our own to remedy the situation,” he added.

Regarding welfare, Bassey said the Federal Government is providing adequate food for the inmates. Medical services are also available at the facility's clinic, provided by trained professionals.

He thanked the media professionals for their visit and promised stronger cooperation in helping with the reformation and reintegration of inmates into society.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Eket Federal Constituency Media Professionals Forum, Enobong Nsimah, suggested working together with the centre to offer legal services to inmates who do not have lawyers.

Nsimah also proposed a partnership to train inmates in various skills to help them reintegrate into society.

Later, the forum members were shown around the worn-out living quarters of the correctional officers. They called on the relevant authorities to provide a better working environment and decent housing for the officers so they can do their jobs effectively.