2026 Legal Week: Be Good Ambassadors Of Peace, Rivers CJ Tells 14 Freed Inmates

The Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Chibuzor-Amadi, has released 14 inmates from the Port Harcourt Maximum Security Custodial Centre, charging them to return to society as good ambassadors of peace, responsible living and good conduct.

Justice Chibuzor-Amadi gave the charge at the Port Harcourt Maximum Security Custodial Centre, Port Harcourt, within the week, as part of activities marking the 2026/2027 Legal Year Opening ceremonies in the state.

The Tide gathered that the beneficiaries included persons who had spent more time in custody than the period prescribed by law had they been convicted of the offences for which they were allegedly arrested, as well as those whose cases had suffered prolonged delays due to circumstances not attributable to them.

The Chief Judge said the exercise was carried out pursuant to the provisions of the Criminal Justice Law, aimed at decongesting correctional facilities and ensuring that persons who qualified for release were not unnecessarily kept in custody.

Addressing the released inmates, Justice Chibuzor-Amadi urged them to value the opportunity granted them and use their freedom to contribute positively to society, warning that anyone who returns to the custodial facility for another crime might not enjoy a similar opportunity again.

He cautioned them against engaging in activities capable of taking them back to the correctional facility, stressing the need for them to embrace responsible living and maintain peace in their communities.

The Chief Judge also reminded the beneficiaries that the political season had commenced, urging them not to allow themselves to be used by politicians to cause violence or other forms of trouble.

He noted that several youths had, in the past, become victims of political violence and death, advising the released inmates to shun acts capable of endangering their lives or disrupting the peace of the society.

Justice Chibuzor-Amadi also advised officials of the correctional facility to desist from disclosing confidential information, particularly the names or list of inmates scheduled for release, ahead of the exercise, noting that such disclosure could create unnecessary tension within the facility.

The Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service in Rivers State, Richard Moses-Williams, commended the Rivers State Judiciary, led by the Chief Judge, for the exercise, saying that the importance of the goal delivery exercise could not be over-emphasised.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Port Harcourt Branch, Dr. Samuel Chinedu Maduba, has urged members of the Bar to take advantage of the various activities lined up for the 2026/2027 Legal Year and ensure full participation in the events.

Maduba, in a statement issued by the Branch Publicity Secretary, Ohaka Ihunwo, Esq., urged lawyers to avail themselves of opportunities provided through programmes tailored for the legal profession, stressing that participation would broaden their knowledge, promote professional interaction and keep them abreast of developments within and beyond the legal profession.

He also urged members of the branch to actively participate in the Legal Week activities designed to promote professional development, interaction and a deeper appreciation of the responsibilities of lawyers to society.

By: King Onunwor