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The Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice Raymond Ozoemena, has granted bail and ordered the discharge of 86 inmates from the Enugu Custodial Centre during the flag-off of the 2025 Jail Delivery Exercise held on Thursday in Enugu State.
Among those released was an 86-year-old man from Okpanku in the Aninri Local Government Area, who was granted bail on health and humanitarian grounds.
Speaking during the exercise, Justice Ozoemena described the jail delivery as a sacred judicial responsibility aimed at upholding the rule of law and protecting the fundamental rights of persons awaiting trial.
He noted that the exercise allows the judiciary to review cases of inmates whose trials have been delayed or stalled, ensuring that no one is unjustly deprived of liberty.
“This is a statutory duty imposed on the Chief Judge of every state to ensure that inmates at correctional centres are afforded the opportunity to have their cases reviewed where the wheel of justice has been slow. I consider this a sacred obligation to protect the constitutional rights of every citizen and to ensure that justice is both fair and timely,” Justice Ozoemena stated.
The Chief Judge commended his predecessors for sustaining the tradition of the jail delivery exercise, emphasizing that it remains an essential mechanism for maintaining public confidence in the justice system.
He also expressed appreciation to the judges of the Enugu State Judiciary, the Honourable Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, the Director of Public Prosecutions, and the management of the Enugu Custodial Centre for their continued collaboration and commitment to justice delivery.
Justice Ozoemena further thanked the state governor for his administration’s unwavering support to the judiciary, particularly the financial and logistical assistance provided to facilitate the 2025 jail delivery exercise.
He reaffirmed the judiciary’s commitment to ensuring that justice remains accessible, fair, and humane, especially for the underprivileged and vulnerable members of society.
In his remarks, the Controller of the Enugu Custodial Centre, Mr. Valins Obizue, commended the Chief Judge and the State Government for their intervention, describing the exercise as a major step towards decongesting custodial facilities and promoting the rehabilitation of inmates.
He appealed for the extension of the exercise to the Nsukka and Oji River Correctional Centres, where several inmates remain on the awaiting-trial list.
The event was attended by judges, senior officials of the Ministry of Justice, representatives of the Nigerian Correctional Service, members of the Nigerian Bar Association, and other stakeholders in the justice sector.
