BY AGNES NWORIE, ABAKALIKI
The new Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Ebonyi State, Ben Uruchi Odoh has lamented overcrowding in Nigerian prisons, revealing that unwarranted remands of suspects and continuous detention of innocent persons are partly responsible for the trend.
According to him, a total of 126 inmates are currently occupying each room in the Nigerian Correctional Centre in Abakaliki and that act of dehumanization is ongoing in the custody as the prison, originally built to accommodate 387 inmates now houses a total of 1,336 occupants.
He advocated total reform of the Nigeria justice system, saying the decay in the system was massive.
In an interview with The Point correspondent in Abakaliki, Odoh said he had ordered for revisit of all abandoned case files in the state with a view to decongesting the custodial centres and also reforming the justice system in the state.
“A visit to the Abakaliki custodial centre of the Nigerian Correctional Service broke my heart. As part of my oversight functions, I paid a visit to Abakaliki custodial centre of the Nigerian Correctional Service and after my visit; I can attest that indeed, our justice system is in need of a serious reform.
“Prior to my inauguration as the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ebonyi State, I heard with great dismay, disheartening cases of people whose right to justice had been denied in many custodial centres.
“If you are really a member of our society, it would not baffle you to hear tales such as this. But, here is the twist: Even though it is in public knowledge that some of these people who were supposed to be free men by the stipulations of the law had been illegally detained as inmates in many of our custodial centres, it felt differently to see them physically and actually feel their pains,” Odoh said.
The commissioner promised to reform the justice sector, saying, “Ironically, I am not saddened by this realization because the problems facing Ebonyi State justice system are specifically reasons why God brought me in when he did. Apart from divine ordination, I also have immense passion to collaborate with relevant stakeholders for the attainment of the justice system of our dreams.”
Speaking further on his discovery at the prison he visited, Udoh said, “While at the custodial centre, I saw a clear case of abrupt dehumanization where a centre originally built to accommodate 387 inmates now carries a total of 1,336 inmates, some of which are innocent citizens of the country. In fact, I counted in a particular instance and realised that a total of 126 inmates were staying in one room.
“It shattered my heart to realise that some of the inmates, some who had been held hostage for almost a decade, did not have case files. Some of them have never stood before a judge or had any real chance at getting justice. I also saw a vivid case of an inmate who although was involved in a crime, had long overstayed his sentence.
“Some of these people are fathers, friends, brothers and relatives who were caught in the crossfire of communal clashes and civil unrest. Although many of them longed for their family and a sense of belonging, in their eyes, I could see signs of resignation to fate and unprecedented helplessness. It was as if their spectrum of mother justice has been marred by partiality and abandonment,” he explained.
He pledged to end the era of pseudo- clearance, illegal release and unwarranted remands of victims among others in Ebonyi, adding, “These incidents, although disheartening, are not to rubbish the endeavours of my predecessors or to scare you, they fuel my enthusiasm as I officially begin my duties. I took some time to encourage the inmates and to succinctly express my desire to throw the weight of the ministry behind their cases until justice is served. Freedom is, after all, the right of every deserving man.”
Giving insight into his blueprint, the Attorney General disclosed, “I look forward to a justice system where justice is not just done but must be seen to have been done. This suggests that under my watch, there will be no pseudo-clearance, forged release or unwarranted remanding of victims. We must create a society where peace, equity and justice prevail.
“All abandoned case files in Ebonyi State will be revisited. Inmates who are awaiting trial will be granted an audience and those whose release dates have long passed will be released on parole, pending the consent of other relevant authorities.”
He added, “In collaboration with His Excellency, Hon Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, whose vision for a reformed justice system largely superseded mine, I assure Ebonyians and the general public that I will not relent until justice is denied to no man.”
