The Eket Correctional Centre in Akwa Ibom State has come under scrutiny following allegations that at least 49 inmates have spent more than 10 years awaiting trial at the facility.
Sources within the centre described the facility as a place where government critics and other inmates can allegedly be left to languish for years without trial or meaningful judicial intervention.
The allegations emerged following an inspection of the facility by reporters on September 2, 2026, which revealed a severely dilapidated centre characterised by crumbling buildings, abandoned vehicles and inadequate basic facilities for the rehabilitation and welfare of inmates.
Beyond the physical decay, sources within the facility also alleged that the centre is being used to punish people considered critical of the government.
“When they want to deal with you, they bring you to Eket and abandon you here,” one correctional officer said.
“No trial, no transfer, nothing. They hope you die here.”
The officer spoke on condition of anonymity.
The allegations come as at least 49 inmates at the centre were said to have been awaiting trial for more than 10 years.
According to sources, some of the inmates have no case files, while others were arrested over minor offences or for activism.
The prolonged detention was allegedly facilitated by a justice system in which cases are repeatedly adjourned.
Sources further alleged that compromised court officials contribute to the delays, leaving inmates stranded in custody without a clear timeline for the resolution of their cases.
The Nigerian Prisons Service was renamed the Nigerian Correctional Service as part of a broader shift from a system focused primarily on punishment and confinement to one centred on rehabilitation and reintegration.
However, the conditions observed at Eket appear far removed from that objective.
Reporters found no vocational workshop, school or counselling unit during the inspection. The centre’s buildings were also in a state of severe disrepair, while vehicles meant to support its operations had been abandoned.
The Officer-in-Charge, Chief Superintendent of Corrections Samuel Bassey, recently disclosed that more than 40 awaiting-trial inmates were unable to attend court because the centre had no functional vehicles.
Bassey made the revelation 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.
He said some inmates transferred to the facility from Nsit Ubium Local Government Area as far back as 2023 had never appeared in court because of the transportation problem.
The situation raises concerns about prolonged pre-trial detention, access to justice and the ability of correctional authorities to fulfil their statutory responsibility of rehabilitating inmates and supporting their reintegration into society.
The allegations of politically motivated detention and judicial interference could not be independently established from the information available, but the reported length of detention and the lack of basic facilities at the centre have renewed questions about the welfare of awaiting-trial inmates and the broader administration of criminal justice in the state.
The condition of the facility also underscores the importance of functional transportation, adequate legal representation and effective coordination between correctional authorities and the courts to prevent inmates from remaining in custody for years without their cases being resolved.
