By RismadarVoice Media, December 19, 2025
The Nigerian Bar Association Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL) has donated a solar-powered borehole to the Uyo Custodial Centre, Akwa Ibom State, to address the persistent water shortage affecting over 1,500 inmates.
The Association also pledged to provide free legal intervention for 115 inmates at the facility who currently lack legal representation.
Chairperson of NBA-SPIDEL, Associate Professor Uju Agomoh, disclosed this on Thursday during a data collection exercise for inmates without legal counsel and the formal presentation of the solar-powered borehole and solar-powered clinic lighting facilities at the custodial centre.
Agomoh explained that the intervention followed a visit by NBA-SPIDEL to the facility on December 1, 2025, during which officials of the centre highlighted the severity of the water crisis.
“On that day, our delegation visited the facility after a week-long conference in Akwa Ibom State. We interacted with both inmates and staff, including the male and female inmates,” she said.
She recalled that the Officer-in-Charge of the centre had identified lack of electricity as the root cause of the water shortage, noting that the facility relied heavily on diesel-powered alternatives.
“The officer-in-charge explained that they had been buying diesel to pump water. We then asked ourselves how many drums of diesel we could provide, whether that would make a sustainable difference. We concluded that a permanent solution was necessary,” Agomoh stated.
She added that the solar-powered borehole was chosen to ensure a long-term, sustainable solution to the problem.
On legal intervention, Agomoh confirmed that NBA-SPIDEL had received a list of 115 inmates without legal representation, assured that the association would take steps to ensure they receive free legal support.
“The officer-in-charge handed over to us a list of 115 inmates, and we will do the needful,” she said.
In his remarks, the Controller of Corrections, Akwa Ibom State Command, Theophilus Okoka, expressed appreciation to NBA-SPIDEL for the humanitarian gesture, describing the intervention as timely, impactful.
“Water is fundamental to life, dignity, health, and sanitation. For a custodial centre, access to clean, reliable water is critical to maintaining basic human rights standards, improving hygiene, and supporting the welfare of both inmates and staff,””Okoka said.
He noted that the solar-powered borehole would significantly reduce water scarcity, ease operational stress, and improve living conditions within the facility.
Officer-in-Charge of the Uyo Custodial Centre, Dr. Ezekiel Inyang, also thanked NBA-SPIDEL for the intervention, formally presented the list of 115 inmates without legal representation for legal assistance.
