Concern is mounting over the number of awaiting trial inmates at Afokang Correctional Centre in Cross River State, where 531 of 784 inmates are yet to have their cases concluded.
Victoria Omini- CALABAR
An inspection of the facility on Monday, August 31, 2026, revealed that the centre, originally built for about 450 inmates, is now housing 784, translating to 334 above its designed capacity.
According to data provided during the visit: Awaiting trial stood at 531 inmates comprising 520 males and 11 females.
Convicted are 170,
those on death row are 48 while
35 are serving life imprisonment.
Awaiting trial inmates make up about 68% of the total population, raising fresh questions about access to timely justice and prolonged detention of suspects who have not been convicted.
Officials identified delays in case determination and prosecution as the main drivers of overcrowding.
The Department of Public Prosecutions was also cited as a key part of the process where bottlenecks prolong detention.
Another concern is the infrequency of jail delivery exercises as the Chief Judge of Cross River State who has the authority to conduct the exercises, visited Afokang last in September 2025.
Jail delivery exercises are designed to review cases of persons detained for long periods and to consider release or other judicial interventions.
The figures raise a critical question: how many of the 531 awaiting trial inmates have spent longer in custody than necessary because their cases were not processed expeditiously?
Prolonged detention without trial carries heavy consequences such as loss of employment, separation from families and financial hardship, while adding pressure to an already overstretched facility.
The crisis underscores the need for stronger coordination among the Judiciary, prosecution authorities, law enforcement, legal practitioners and correctional officials.
Expanding prison infrastructure without addressing court delays, officials noted, will only provide temporary relief.
With a facility built for 450 now holding 784, and more than two-thirds awaiting trial, the situation at Afokang demands urgent attention.
Beyond capacity, it speaks to justice, judicial accountability and the constitutional right of citizens to have their cases determined within a reasonable time.
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