…officer-in-Charge cries out over leaking roofs, lack of escort vehicle and decaying facilities
The Eket Medium Custodial Centre in Akwa Ibom State is in a state of severe disrepair, with over 40 awaiting-trial inmates reportedly unable to appear in court due to the absence of a functional vehicle to convey them for trial.
The revelation was made on Tuesday, September 1, when a forum of Eket Federal Constituency media professionals (EFCMP), led by its Chairman, Comrade Enobong Nsimah, visited the facility to assess its condition and explore ways of providing pro bono legal assistance to inmates without legal representation.
Receiving the media professionals in his office, the Officer-in-Charge of the centre, CSC Bassey Samuel, expressed appreciation for the visit, saying it provided an opportunity for members of the public to see firsthand the challenges confronting the facility.
Samuel lamented that the centre was in dire need of urgent intervention, appealing to the Akwa Ibom State Government, local government chairmen in the Eket Federal Constituency, non-governmental organisations, humanitarian agencies and well-meaning individuals to assist in renovating or replacing its deteriorating facilities.
According to him, more than 40 inmates on the awaiting-trial list have remained at the centre because there is no functional escort van or other vehicle to take them to court. He also disclosed that the roofs of the sections housing inmates had deteriorated badly and leak heavily whenever it rains, leaving inmates soaked in water.
A tour of the facility by the media team further revealed the extent of the decay, with several structures visibly dilapidated. The journalists were also shocked to discover that some correctional personnel live in a mud-house staff quarters reportedly constructed in the 1990s.
Nsimah, while appealing for urgent intervention, called on the four local government chairmen that make up the Eket Federal Constituency, as well as other public-spirited individuals and organizations, to rally support for the rehabilitation of the custodial centre.
He said the forum’s proposed partnership with the centre would also focus on identifying inmates without legal representation and facilitating access to pro bono legal services to help address prolonged detention without trial.
