By THE Ebonyi State Government has expressed deep concern over the staggering number of its indigenes, 482, currently on death row at the Enugu Maximum Security Custodial Centre, describing it as the highest figure from any state.
The Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, Dr Ben Uruchi Odoh, revealed this during the maiden accountability forum for his office, themed “Civic Catalyst: HAG Open Forum 2.0 – Empowering Citizens, Advancing Justice.”
Dr Odoh noted that while some of the inmates had indeed committed the crimes for which they were sentenced, the Ministry of Justice had already submitted applications to the governor and commenced profiling of the condemned inmates, expressing optimism that some would receive executive pardon in due course.
He recalled that 159 warlords arrested during the Effium–Ezza Effium communal conflict were granted amnesty following the ministry’s engagement with the governor, after which a de-radicalisation programme was carried out for them.
Odoh added that 151 combatants were also arrested during the Edda communal crisis, and that the governor’s wife, Mrs Mary-Maudlin Nwifuru, facilitated the release of 109 inmates by paying their fines and subsequently empowering them.
“Ebonyi has the highest number of persons on death row—482 of them at Enugu Maximum Security. Some committed the crimes for which they were sentenced. We have written several applications and are profiling them, and we believe the governor will grant some pardons,” he said.
The Attorney General further highlighted reforms executed under his leadership, including the establishment of the Ebonyi Multi-Door Courthouse, the Citizens’ Mediation Centre, and the Office of the Public Defender.
According to him, these institutions have enhanced mediation, reconciliation, reintegration and restorative justice in line with the state’s strategic legal framework known as the Charter of Justice. He added that the mediation centre has reduced unnecessary litigation, while the Office of the Public Defender complements the Legal Aid Council in assisting the less privileged.
Odoh also announced the decentralisation of the Ministry of Justice across the three senatorial zones, the creation of an ICT Law Reporting Department, and the introduction of the Ebonyi State Ministry of Justice Law Journal.
However, he identified inadequate funding, bureaucratic bottlenecks, language barriers, and poor welfare for judicial officers as major challenges confronting the ministry.
In her remarks, the Commissioner’s Technical Assistant, Oluchi Nwite, said the forum was designed to foster accountability, enable citizens to track progress, and promote best practices in the justice sector. She emphasised that sustainable peace in the state would require the consistent pursuit of justice.
Participants applauded the Attorney General’s reforms, describing them as transformative steps that have repositioned the ministry. The event was attended by key stakeholders, including the Commissioner for Information, Barr Ikeuwa Omebe, the Police Public Relations Officer, and the Correctional Service PRO, among others.
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