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No fewer than 46 inmates awaiting trial at the Medium Security Correctional Centre on Liverpool Road in Eket, Akwa Ibom State, have been unable to attend court hearings because the facility has no functional vehicles to transport them.
The Officer in Charge of the centre, Chief Superintendent of Corrections Samuel Bassey, disclosed this on Tuesday during a courtesy visit by members of the Eket Federal Constituency Media Professionals forum.
Bassey revealed that some of the inmates, transferred from Nsit Ubium Local Government Area as far back as 2023, have never appeared in court even once due to the lack of transport.
“Sometimes we have to go to the local park to hire minibuses 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.
He noted that the centre’s jurisdiction covers nine local government areas with 18 courts, yet none of its vehicles are roadworthy. Even the vehicle currently at the workshop cannot be repaired.
“About 46 inmates are unable to appear in court. It is difficult to take the inmates to court without having operational vehicles. We really need support to discharge our duties effectively,” Bassey stated.
The officer added that several letters requesting operational vehicles had been sent to the relevant authorities, but no response had been received.
The last vehicle donated to the facility was during the administration of former Governor Godswill Akpabio, who is now the Senate President.
Bassey also raised concerns about the poor state of infrastructure at the centre, saying heavy rains had damaged several roofs and left inmates exposed to harsh weather.
On a positive note, he confirmed that the Federal Government was providing adequate feeding for inmates and that medical services were available at the facility’s clinic.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Eket Federal Constituency Media Professionals, Enobong Nsimah, proposed collaboration with the centre to offer free legal services to inmates without representation and to train them in skill acquisition programmes.
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