ROT IN EKET CUSTODIAL CENTRE: OFFICERS LIVE IN MUD HUTS, DUTY VEHICLES GROUNDED, MORALE LOW

ROT IN EKET CUSTODIAL CENTRE: OFFICERS LIVE IN MUD HUTS, DUTY VEHICLES GROUNDED, MORALE LOW

…Officer-in-Charge appeals to Government for quick intervention

While over 40 awaiting-trial inmates remain stranded at the Eket Medium Custodial Centre due to lack of vehicles to transport them to court, the officers and men tasked with guarding them are themselves living a hard-knock life — in conditions worse than shanties.

An inspection visit by the Eket Federal Constituency Media Professionals, EFCMP, on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, revealed that some correctional personnel at the facility are housed in mud buildings described as “huts” constructed as far back as the early 1970s.

The grim discovery was made during a tour of the centre led by EFCMP Chairman, Comrade Enobong Nsimah. The visit was also aimed at exploring pro bono legal aid for inmates without representation.

Receiving the delegation, the Officer-in-Charge, CSC Bassey Samuel, said the visit exposed the rot that both inmates and staff have endured for years.

“Our staff quarters are in a terrible state. Some of our personnel live in mud houses built in the 1970s. When it rains, the roofs leak and the walls weaken. It is not befitting for officers who risk their lives daily,” Samuel said.

He noted that beyond accommodation, the centre lacks a functional escort vehicle, forcing more than 40 awaiting-trial inmates to remain in custody indefinitely because they cannot be taken to court.

“The same rain that soaks the inmates also soaks our men. The entire facility is in dire need of urgent renovation or outright replacement,” he added, appealing to the Akwa Ibom State Government, the four LG Chairmen in Eket Federal Constituency, NGOs and public-spirited individuals to intervene.

Despite the decay, the O/C said there has been no jailbreak and no health challenges recorded in the centre. He also stated that feeding of inmates has been satisfactory.

However, the living condition of officers directly affects service delivery and morale, which sources say is currently very low.

“These are men and women in uniform expected to maintain security and discipline. Yet they are living in huts. How do we expect optimal performance?” Comrade Nsimah queried.

He condemned the situation and called on stakeholders to prioritize the welfare of correctional staff alongside inmates.
“This centre is a reflection of how we treat justice and those who serve it. If we want speedy trials and a decongested system, we must start by giving dignity to the officers first,” Nsimah stated.

EFCMP also announced plans to partner with the centre to identify inmates without legal representation and connect them with lawyers for free services.

With leaking roofs, cracked walls, no utility vehicles and staff living in 50-year-old mud huts, stakeholders say the Eket Medium Custodial Centre is a symbol of systemic neglect that requires urgent government action.

The Eket Custodial Centre caters to 9 Local Government Areas that made up the former Eket Division, namely: Eket, Onna, Ibeno, Esit Eket, Nsit Ubium, Oron, Udung Uko, Uruefong-Oruko and Mbo. The centre also serves about 18 courts.