PORT HARCOURT, Rivers State – July 18, 2025 – In a poignant demonstration of justice, albeit delayed, the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Amadi, on Thursday flagged off the state’s jail delivery exercise, leading to the release of 21 inmates from the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre. Among those granted freedom was Gospel Nwibari, a man who had endured an astonishing 18 years behind bars without ever facing trial.
Nwibari’s harrowing story became a focal point of the exercise. Reportedly arrested in 2007 at the tender age of 14, he remained in detention without formal charges or access to legal representation for nearly two decades. His release underscores the critical need for the initiative, which is anchored on the Rivers State Administration of Criminal Justice Law and aims to alleviate prison congestion while addressing deeply entrenched delays in the legal process.
Justice Amadi explained that many of the released inmates lacked proper case files or traceable charges, rendering their continued detention unjust. “Many of these inmates had no case files and no means to trace the charges against them. Continuing to detain them serves no justice purpose,” the Chief Judge stated, emphasizing that even in cases of serious alleged crimes like murder and armed robbery, due process must be meticulously followed.
All releases, he clarified, were subjected to rigorous verification by the Department of Public Prosecution (DPP) and were recommended by correctional authorities after detailed case reviews. Justice Amadi used the occasion to counsel the freed inmates, urging them to embrace a new path and avoid recidivism. He acknowledged the challenges they might face, particularly in communities still grappling with the pain of alleged past offenses, but stressed: “Society may not always be forgiving. But the law must remain just and humane.”
Felix Madumere, the Controller of Corrections for Rivers State, present at the event, raised a pressing alarm regarding the severe strain on prison facilities. He revealed that the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre, originally designed to accommodate 1,800 inmates, is currently housing over 2,500, leading to significant logistical and human rights challenges. “If the state fails to act, we may be forced to halt inmate admissions temporarily to prevent a system breakdown,” Madumere warned.
The most emotional moment of the day unfolded with Gospel Nwibari’s release. His brother, Paul Kinani, tearfully shared that the family had presumed Gospel dead after years of fruitless searching. “I thought he was gone forever. We looked for him everywhere. Getting that call from Haven360 Foundation felt like a miracle,” he recounted. Kinani confirmed that Gospel would receive immediate medical attention, given signs of untreated mental health issues.
Barrister Cyrus Onu, President of Haven360 Foundation, the legal advocacy group that meticulously traced Gospel’s case in 2020, hailed his release as a monumental step in the ongoing fight for criminal justice reform. “He was arrested as a teenager and left to rot in the system. We also secured the release of a mentally ill woman from Etche who had been detained since 2022. These are the people justice forgot,” Onu stated. He pledged the foundation’s unwavering commitment to the rehabilitation and reintegration of all released inmates, especially those suffering from psychological trauma or displacement.
Justice Amadi concluded by reiterating the judiciary’s firm commitment to protecting the rights of detainees and reforming systemic inefficiencies within the criminal justice system. “This is just the beginning. The exercise will continue in other correctional facilities across the state,” he affirmed.
The significant event saw the attendance of representatives from the Ministry of Justice, Nigerian Correctional Service, International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), various legal aid groups, and human rights organizations, all united in their mission to restore hope, dignity, and lawful order to those who have been abandoned by the system.
