Correctional facilities in Cross River State are currently housing 890 inmates, raising concerns about prison overcrowding and the challenges of criminal justice administration in the state.
The State Controller of Corrections, Mr. William Richard FRAI, made this known at a town hall meeting organized by the CLEEN Foundation on the Effective Implementation and Sustainability of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL).
Richard, who was represented by Chief Superintendent Correction, Ibiang Otu, revealed that the Calabar Correctional Center alone holds 579 inmates, making it the most congested facility in the state. Other correctional centers include:
Adim Farm Center – 37 inmates (all male)
Ikom Correctional Facility – 69 inmates
Obubra Correctional Facility – 65 inmates
Ogoja Correctional Facility – 97 inmates
Obudu Correctional Facility – 43 inmates
Of the total number, 29 inmates are female, further highlighting the growing number of incarcerated women in the state.
Also speaking at the event, the Comptroller of Immigration, Cross River State Command, CIS Prisca Ogbodo, raised alarms over the influx of undocumented immigrants involved in criminal activities.
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Represented by Superintendent of Immigration (SI), Arisha Ginika, Ogbodo disclosed that many foreign nationals, particularly from Cameroon, enter the state to commit crimes, often with the help of local collaborators.
“Some Nigerians who harbor these criminals are learning from them and eventually engaging in criminal offenses themselves,” she warned.
Representatives from the National Human Rights Commission, Legal Aid Council, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) also spoke at the town hall meeting. They lamented the numerous obstacles hindering the implementation of ACJL, citing lack of facilities and poor cooperation from key stakeholders.
Notably, the Nigerian Police Force was absent at the crucial meeting, raising concerns about their commitment to justice sector reforms.
As Cross River grapples with rising crime rates and prison congestion, stakeholders are calling for urgent interventions to reform the criminal justice system and improve security measures across the state.
