The Rivers State Judiciary has released 23 inmates from correctional centres across the state as part of the first phase of its 2026 prison decongestion initiative aimed at reducing overcrowding and safeguarding the rights of detainees.
The exercise, carried out on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, was conducted under the directive of the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Chibuzor-Amadi. The initiative is designed to ensure that inmates are not held in custody beyond the period permitted by law.
During the exercise, judicial officers visited correctional centres in Port Harcourt, Ahoada, and Degema to review the legal status of inmates and determine whether their continued detention was justified.
Chief Registrar of the Rivers State High Court, David Ihua-Maduenyi, said the review was intended to prevent unnecessary detention, particularly in cases where there were no legal grounds for inmates to remain in custody.
Following the review, 18 inmates were released from the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre, while five others regained their freedom from the Ahoada Correctional Centre. No inmate was released from the Degema Correctional Centre after officials examined the cases of those held there.
The review exercise was conducted by Chief Magistrates Menenen F. Poromon, Ilanye D. Brown, N. N. Nnee, and Obiareri N. Anugbum, alongside Senior Magistrates Wobia C. Akanie, Harold B. Nwinee, and ThankGod Ndukwu.
According to the Judiciary, the decongestion programme forms part of its broader commitment to improving the administration of criminal justice, protecting the constitutional rights of detainees, and ensuring compliance with legal safeguards governing detention.
The Judiciary also stated that periodic reviews of inmates’ cases would continue as a key strategy to identify matters requiring urgent judicial attention and to ensure that prolonged detention is subjected to proper legal scrutiny.
Ihua-Maduenyi reaffirmed the Judiciary’s commitment to protecting the rights of persons in custody while supporting measures to reduce overcrowding in correctional facilities across Rivers State.
The release of the 23 inmates marks the first phase of the 2026 prison decongestion exercise, with additional reviews and interventions expected to continue in the coming months as part of ongoing justice sector reforms.
In this article