The Nigerian Bar Association Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL) has provided a solar-powered borehole at the Uyo Custodial Centre in Akwa Ibom State to address persistent water shortages affecting inmates and staff of the facility.
The intervention, which also includes the installation of solar lighting for the clinic, is expected to benefit over 1,500 inmates and personnel at the custodial centre.
In addition, NBA-SPIDEL has committed to offering free legal representation to 115 inmates who are currently without legal counsel.
The facilities were formally handed over during a visit by NBA-SPIDEL officials, which also featured a data collection exercise for inmates lacking legal representation.
Read Also:
- NBA gives Gov. Adeleke 7-day ultimatum to reopen courts in Osun
- LeBron James sets NBA record in season opener
- IPOB challenges NBA to disclose law under which Nnamdi Kanu is facing trial
Speaking at the event, Chairperson of NBA-SPIDEL, Associate Professor Uju Agomoh, said the project was initiated following an earlier assessment visit to the centre on December 1, during which the severity of the water crisis was brought to the association’s attention.
Agomoh explained that the custodial centre had been depending on diesel-powered generators to pump water, a practice she described as costly and unsustainable due to erratic power supply.
“During our interaction with officers and inmates, the most pressing issue identified was the lack of water. The centre had been spending heavily on diesel to operate water pumps, which is neither economical nor sustainable,” she said.
She noted that the installation of a solar-powered borehole was designed to provide a permanent solution by ensuring uninterrupted access to clean water while reducing operational costs and reliance on fossil fuels.
On legal support, Agomoh disclosed that NBA-SPIDEL had received a list of 115 inmates without legal representation and assured that the association would take steps to ensure they receive free legal services.
“Access to justice is a fundamental human right. No one should be denied legal representation because of their circumstances,” she stated.
The Controller of Corrections, Akwa Ibom State Command, Mr Theophilus Okoka, praised NBA-SPIDEL for the initiative, describing it as a timely intervention that would significantly improve conditions at the facility.
He said access to clean and reliable water was essential to health, sanitation and human dignity within custodial environments, adding that the project would ease longstanding challenges faced by both inmates and staff.
Earlier, the Officer-in-Charge of the Uyo Custodial Centre, Dr Ezekiel Inyang, expressed gratitude to the association for the support and formally submitted the list of inmates requiring legal assistance.
The intervention, NBA-SPIDEL said, aligns with its ongoing commitment to promoting access to justice, improving detention conditions, and supporting sustainable development within Nigeria’s correctional system.
