Man regains freedom after eight years in prison without trial

 

A man identified as Mr. John Gift Tobia has finally regained his freedom after spending eight years and Four Months in the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre without trial.

John Gift Tobia was arrested by the Nigeria Police in 2017 at Rumuokoro Junction in Port Harcourt. He was picked up randomly for long after a robbery incident he knew nothing about. Others arrested with him were bailed and allowed to go, but Tobia had no money and nobody to bail him. After being detained in the cell and nobody was coming forward to effect his bail, he was bundled off to court and remanded in prison custody.

He was arraigned before a magistrate court, which ordered his remand in prison. However, no formal trial followed his detention for over eight years.

His release was secured last Tuesday, June 4, 2025, through the efforts of a popular human rights lawyer, Hope Azinuchi Azeru-Oziri, popularly known on Facebook as, Law in Pidgin. The lawyer, who took up the case pro bono, said she was divinely led to fight for Mr. Tobia’s freedom.

“I visited the prison on January 6, 2025, and I took up his matter. God directed me to do this case because He remembered Gift Tobia,” the lawyer said.

She further revealed that the case was handled without any charges to the victim, thanks to financial contributions from her social media followers and the support of a generous Nigerian living in the United Kingdom.

Delivering its judgment, the High Court of Rivers State declared that the prolonged detention of Mr. Tobia without trial was both illegal and immoral. The court ordered his immediate and unconditional release.

John Gift Tobia who could not contain his joy said he was just happy being free and would not seek any redress in court. He was all thanks and appreciation for Hope Azinuchi Azeru-Oziri and noted that he was immediately leaving for his hometown as he had nobody in Port Harcourt anymore, as those he had may have all forgotten him.

Different reactions have trailer his release with many calling for commensurate sanctions for Police officers who subject innocent citizens to such unjust suffering.

Otis Horsfall said: “We must not only celebrate his freedom but strongly condemn the actions of the Nigeria Police Force . Officers of the Nigeria Police Force must be put in check to avoid such occurrences. Enough of wasting the meaningful life and times of people without any justification.”

Several others also called for compensations to be given to the Tobia for the trauma and wasted years he experienced.

Zenike Abiodun had this to say: “How I wish they (the court) can ask the police to pay damages for the trauma and years this innocent man had wasted going through undeserved diffulties, so that it will serve as a deterrent for other police and judicial officers who may want to put an innocent person in prison for no just cause.”