The Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi, has granted pardon to 21 inmates at the Port Harcourt Maximum Correctional Centre.
DAILY POST reports that the inmates released had been carefully reviewed, according to the Chief Judge, with priority given to those whose case files were missing or whose trials had made no meaningful progress over several years.
Inmates with ongoing court proceedings were excluded from the list.
Speaking during the jail delivery exercise on Thursday, Justice Amadi clarified that the release was not an attempt to interfere with the operations of other agencies, but rather to complement their efforts in promoting justice, equity, and the enforcement of the rule of law.
Justice Amadi noted that the judiciary, under his leadership, conducts quarterly visits to correctional facilities in a bid to address prison congestion.
He referenced the Criminal Justice (Release from Custody) (Special Provisions) Act, Cap C.40, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, and Section 34(1) of the Rivers State Administration of Criminal Justice Law No. 7 of 2015 as the legal basis for the intervention.
Justice Amadi also disclosed that the Port Harcourt facility, designed to accommodate 1,500 inmates, is currently holding over 2,500 individuals.
The Chief Judge attributed the growing population in correctional facilities to the shortcomings of the Nigeria Police and the DPP in fulfilling their responsibilities.
He further urged the Nigeria Police Force to “improve the quality of its investigations and ensure due diligence before charging suspects to court”;, emphasizing the need for adherence to proper legal procedure.
He emphasized the need for stronger collaboration among the judiciary, the Ministry of Justice, the Police, and the Nigerian Correctional Service to effectively decongest prisons, noting that prolonged detention without trial serves no public good and amounts to unjust punishment.
The Chief Judge urged officers of the Nigerian Correctional Service to continue upholding the highest standards of professionalism and to respect human dignity in the discharge of their duties.
Addressing the released inmates, Justice Amadi encouraged them to “embrace reform, live responsibly, and reintegrate into society as better individuals.”;
In his remarks, the Controller of Corrections, Rivers State Command, Felix Madumere commended the Chief Judge for his consistent efforts toward prison decongestion.
Madumere revealed that the facility currently houses 503 inmates on death row and more than 2,500 inmates in total, well above its designed capacity.
He appealed to Justice Amadi to help channel the operational challenges facing the correctional service to the state government, calling for urgent support and assistance.
Madumere said, “If the state fails to act, we may be forced to halt inmate admissions temporarily to prevent system breakdown.”;
Among those granted pardon were two mentally ill inmates who had spent between eight and ten years in custody without formal charges or progress in their legal processes.
