No fewer than 46 awaiting-trial inmates at the Medium Security Correctional Centre in Eket, Akwa Ibom State, have been unable to attend court hearings because the facility has no operational vehicles to transport them.
The Officer in Charge of the centre, Chief Superintendent of Corrections Samuel Bassey, disclosed this on Tuesday when members of the Eket Federal Constituency Media Professionals forum visited the facility. He said the transport shortage had made it difficult for the centre to present inmates before the courts within its jurisdiction.
Bassey said some of the affected inmates were transferred from Nsit Ubium Local Government Area as far back as 2023 but had not appeared in court since their arrival because there were no functional vehicles available to convey them.
He explained that the centre sometimes has to hire minibuses from local parks to transport inmates to court, a practice he described as risky because authorities have to be certain that the drivers engaged can be trusted.
The correctional officer said the centre's jurisdiction covers nine local government areas and includes 18 courts, making reliable transportation essential to its operations.
According to him, none of the centre's vehicles is currently functional, while even a vehicle undergoing repairs at a workshop could not be fixed. He appealed for urgent assistance to enable the facility to carry out its responsibilities effectively.
Bassey said the facility had written several letters to the relevant authorities requesting operational vehicles but had yet to receive a response. He appealed to governments at all levels, corporate organisations, non-governmental organisations and philanthropists to support the centre.
He described the situation as worrisome not only because of its effect on inmates awaiting trial but also because of the challenges it creates for correctional officers responsible for transporting them securely.
The transport problem is occurring alongside infrastructure concerns at the Eket facility. Bassey said heavy rainfall in southern Nigeria had damaged several roofs, leaving parts of the correctional centre exposed to harsh weather conditions. He said the facility lacked the resources to address the damage on its own.
He recalled that the last vehicle donated to the centre was during the administration of former Akwa Ibom Governor Godswill Akpabio, who is now the President of the Senate.
Despite the operational and infrastructure challenges, Bassey said the welfare of inmates in some areas was being maintained. He stated that the Federal Government was providing adequate food and that medical services were available at the facility's clinic through trained personnel.
During the visit, the Eket Federal Constituency Media Professionals also expressed concern about the conditions at the centre. The group's chairman, Enobong Nsimah, proposed collaboration to provide free legal assistance to inmates who do not have access to legal representation and to support skill-acquisition programmes aimed at rehabilitation and reintegration.
The situation at the Eket correctional centre highlights how shortages in basic operational logistics can have consequences beyond the correctional system itself, particularly when inmates awaiting trial cannot be transported to court. Ensuring that cases proceed as scheduled requires not only functioning courts and legal representation but also the logistical capacity to bring defendants before judges.
For the 46 inmates identified by the centre, the immediate issue remains the availability of safe and functional transportation. Until the facility receives operational vehicles or another reliable transport arrangement, their ability to attend scheduled court proceedings could remain severely constrained.
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