Adamning report by Crime Facts has highlighted the heartbreaking case of John Gift Tobia, a man who spent eight years and four months in the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre without trial.

Tobia’s story has sparked widespread outrage and calls for reform, with many demanding justice and compensation for the trauma and lost years.

According to Okechukwu Nwanguma, Executive Director of Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), Tobia was arrested in 2017 by the Nigerian police at Rumuokoro Junction, Port Harcourt, in the aftermath of a robbery incident he knew nothing about.Nigerian cultural tours

“His inability to pay a bribe or find someone to stand for him led to a fate no citizen should ever endure in a democratic society,” Nwanguma said.

Tobia’s release was finally secured after human rights lawyer Hope Azinuchi Azeru-Oziri took up his case pro bono.

The court declared his prolonged detention “illegal and immoral.”

However, many are now calling for more than just freedom for Tobia.

“Freedom without justice is not enough,” said Nwanguma. “We need urgent reforms to ensure mandatory periodic reviews of all remand cases, strict enforcement of the constitutional right to trial within a reasonable time, accountability frameworks for police and judicial officers who enable arbitrary detention, and public defenders to represent indigent detainees in every state.”

Others have also weighed in on the issue.

An activist, Otis Horsfall, said, “We must not only celebrate his freedom but strongly condemn the actions of the Nigeria Police Force. Enough of wasting the meaningful life and times of people without justification.”Nigerian cultural tours

Another activist, Zenike Abiodun, echoed the call for compensation, saying, “How I wish the court could ask the police to pay damages… so that it would serve as a deterrent for other police and judicial officers.”

The case has highlighted the deep rot in Nigeria’s criminal justice system and its disproportionate impact on poor Nigerians. Statistics show that over 70% of inmates in Nigeria’s correctional centres are awaiting trial, with many victims of systemic dysfunction, arrested arbitrarily and dumped in prison simply because they are poor.Nigerian cultural tours

Nwanguma emphasised that Tobia’s case is not an isolated incident and that systemic reforms are needed to prevent similar cases in the future.

“This is a human rights crisis masquerading as law enforcement,” he said. “We must demand justice beyond freedom. Justice must include compensation for the trauma and lost years. Justice must include disciplinary action against the officers and judicial officials who failed in their duties.”

The Nigeria Police Force, the magistrate who remanded Tobia, and the prison authorities who saw him every day and did nothing have all been criticised for their roles in the ordeal.Nigerian cultural tours

Many are now calling for accountability and disciplinary action against those responsible.

“The Nigeria Police Force must answer for this,” said Nwanguma. “The magistrate who remanded Mr. Tobia without ensuring he was brought back to court must answer for this. The prison authorities who saw him every day and did nothing must answer for this.”Nigerian cultural tours

The case has also raised questions about the role of the judiciary in perpetuating human rights abuses.

“How can a man be detained for nearly a decade without trial, without evidence, and without anyone in the system raising alarm?” Nwanguma asked. “Where are the checks? Where is the accountability?”

Human rights activists have long been warning about the worsening state of human rights in Nigeria.Nigerian cultural tours

“This case is a stark reminder of the systemic failures that perpetuate human rights abuses in our country,” said a human rights activist, who wished to remain anonymous. “We need urgent reforms to prevent similar cases in the future.”

The case has also sparked outrage on social media, with many calling for justice and accountability.

“This is a clear case of human rights abuse,” tweeted @humanrights_ng. “We demand justice for John Gift Tobia and all those who have suffered similar ordeals.”

As the nation demands justice for Tobia, it is clear that the case has far-reaching implications for Nigeria’s human rights record.Nigerian cultural tours

“This case is a damning indictment of a system that punishes poverty more than it punishes crime,” said Nwanguma.

“We need urgent reforms to ensure that our criminal justice system protects the rights of all Nigerians, regardless of their socio-economic status.”

The case has also highlighted the need for increased transparency and accountability in the criminal justice system.Nigerian cultural tours

“We need to ensure that our law enforcement agencies are held accountable for their actions,” said Nwanguma. “We need to ensure that those who are responsible for human rights abuses are brought to justice.”

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