23 Inmates Released in Rivers State Jail Delivery Exercise

On July 22, 2026, a jail delivery exercise was conducted in Rivers State, resulting in the release of 23 inmates from correctional centres. Of these, 18 inmates were freed from the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre, while five were released from the Ahoada Correctional Centre.

The exercise was initiated under the directive of the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi, and was part of the first phase of the 2026 Prison Decongestion Programme. The Chief Registrar of the Rivers State Judiciary, David Ihua-Maduenyi, announced the results of the exercise, which involved magistrates reviewing cases to ensure that detainees were not held longer than legally permitted.

No inmates were released from the Degema Correctional Centre. The magistrates involved included Chief Magistrates Menenen F.

Poromon, Ilanye D. Brown, N.

N. Nnee, Obiareri N.

Anugbum, and Senior Magistrates Wobia C. Akanie, Harold B.

Nwinee, and Thankgod Ndukwu. The judiciary aims to continue periodic case reviews to uphold detainees' rights and enhance access to justice.