Thirty-five Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria (CSOs) wrote a joint letter to the Attorney General of the Federation expressing concern and outrage over the tragic and unjust ordeal of Mr. John Gift Tobia, a Nigerian citizen who was unlawfully detained for eight years and four months in the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre without trial.
The group stated: “According to credible reports, including a publication by Crime Facts and testimonies by prominent human rights advocates, Mr. Tobia was arbitrarily arrested in 2017 at Rumuokoro Junction, Port Harcourt, following a robbery incident he knew nothing about.
“His prolonged incarceration was not due to any valid legal reason, but rather his inability to pay a bribe or afford legal representation. His eventual release was only secured in 2024, after a human rights lawyer took up his case pro bono.
“The court rightly declared Mr. Tobia’s detention as ‘illegal and immoral.” Yet, despite his release, justice remains incomplete. We must not reduce justice to mere freedom. Mr. Tobia’s unjust and prolonged detention represents a gross violation of his constitutional and human rights and underscores the deeply rooted dysfunction within Nigeria’s criminal justice system.
“We respectfully urge your office, as the chief law officer of the Federation, to take the following actions: Ensure Justice and Compensation for Mr. Tobia, Initiate legal processes to ensure adequate compensation for the trauma, indignity, and irreparable loss Mr. Tobia suffered, Direct a full investigation into the conduct of the police officers, the magistrate who remanded him without trial, and the prison officials who failed to raise alarm during his years of detention and Recommend appropriate disciplinary or prosecutorial action against all those found culpable.”
The group further urged the AGF to implement institutionalised Reforms to Prevent Recurrence by enforcing mandatory periodic judicial reviews of all remand cases, in compliance with the Constitution and the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).
It further suggested: “Establish a robust oversight and accountability mechanism to monitor the actions of police, judicial officers, and correctional services regarding pretrial detentions.
“Strengthen and fund the provision of public defenders in all states, to ensure that indigent detainees are not left without legal representation. Issue directives reinforcing the right to trial within a reasonable time, as enshrined in Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).”
The group also mentioned that it would not be a bad idea if the AGF make a public statement acknowledging the injustice suffered by Mr. Tobia and affirming the Ministry’s commitment to justice and systemic reform.
The AGF should also convene a stakeholder dialogue involving civil society, the judiciary, the Nigeria Police Force, the Legal Aid Council, and the National Human Rights Commission, aimed at developing a concrete roadmap to end arbitrary detentions.
“The case of John Gift Tobia is not an isolated incident. It is symptomatic of a broader human rights crisis in Nigeria’s criminal justice system. Data consistently show that over 70% of inmates in Nigeria’s correctional facilities are awaiting trial, many for years without meaningful access to justice. The most affected are poor and vulnerable Nigerians who cannot afford legal representation or secure their release on bail,” said the group.
The group opined that the AGF holds the constitutional mandate and moral responsibility to act decisively to correct these systemic failures.
It demanded: “We demand justice beyond release. Justice that compensates, that holds perpetrators accountable, and that reforms a system that has failed the people it is meant to protect. We are prepared to support your office in achieving these reforms and look forward to your timely response and leadership in this matter.”
The CSOs are; Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), Lagos, Centre for Community Empowerment in Conflict and Peacebuilding – Kaduna, Foundation for Environmental Rights Advocacy and Development (FENRAD), Abia State, P4SEDI – Partnership for Social and Environmental Development Initiative, Centre for Justice, Empowerment & Development (C4J), Vivacious Development Initiative (VIDI), Better Community Life Initiative, One Love Foundation, Centre for Human Rights Advocacy and Wholesome Society (CEHRAWS), TruORGANIC Initiative for Social & Communities Development, Human Rights Social Development and Environmental Foundation (HURSDEF), Igbo Union (Nzuko ndi Igbo), Nchekwa Ndi Ogbenye Foundation, Neighbourhood Initiative for Women Advancement (NIWA), Women in Media Communication Initiative (WIM), Amnesty International Nigeria, BOOCODEP, Mothers And Marginalised Advocacy Centre (MAMA Centre), Serene Society Initiative (Serene), Foundation for Livelihood Advancement, Centre for Community Empowerment and Poverty Eradication (CCEPE), Community Outreach for Development and Welfare Advocacy (CODWA), Foundation for Environmental Rights Advocacy and Development FENRAD Nigeria, Human Rights Social Development and Environmental Foundation (HURSDEF), Human Rights Advocacy and Monitoring Group HURAMG, SAGRE Foundation, Community Outreach for Development and Welfare Advocacy (CODWA), Institutional and Sustainable Development Foundation, Abdurrahman Akindele Ayuba, CCEPE, Kwara, Michael Adedotun Oke Foundation, Ethics and Corporate Compliance Institute of Nigeria, Nchekwa Ndi Ogbenye Foundation, Centre for Human Rights Advocacy and Wholesome Society (CEHRAWS) endorses the petition, Community Outreach for Development and Welfare Advocacy (CODWA) and Foundation for Civil Society Engagement and Climate Change Advocacy.
