A Nigerian man, identified as John Gift Tobia, who had been detained in prison in Port Harcourt since March 2017 without undergoing trial, has finally regained his freedom after spending over eight years behind bars awaiting justice.
According to reports, John Gift Tobia was taken into custody on the 6th of March 2017, with his legal case still pending trial. Unfortunately, his case was never heard in court, leading to a prolonged detention period of 8 years, 4 months, and 10 days without any formal trial taking place.
Man regains freedom after 8 years in prison, awaiting trial.
In a turn of events, a high court in Rivers State intervened and ordered his unconditional release in June 2025. This decision finally ended his lengthy and unjust detention without trial.
Following his release, John Gift Tobia was seen expressing gratitude towards the lawyer who championed his case, acknowledging the crucial role played in securing his freedom. He also shared his hopes and plans for rebuilding his life after such a long ordeal in prison.
Public Reactions to the Case
@Junnynba1 reflected: “There are still thousands of people in there, just wasting away, many of them still awaiting trial, and some completely innocent. Nigeria’s system is deeply broken. Do whatever it takes to stay out of trouble, because once you’re in, it can mess up your life for good.”
@eSoul_licker added: “If Nigeria never happen to person weh u know, u go think say this video na content.✌️”
@TheRealGulu remarked: “For a crime whose penalty may be 2 years or a fine. 🤦🏾♂️”
@the_onbeatable expressed sorrow: “Nothing hurts me as much as knowing that the second in command of the congenital failure called GMB was a Constitutional Lawyer who couldn’t spearhead any tangible prison reforms in Nigeria…that’s to show how useless the post of a VP is in Nigeria’s political space. It hurts.”
Watch the video below capturing the moment of the man’s release and the emotional reactions surrounding this case:
Man regains freedom today from prison in Rivers State after being on awaiting trial for 8 years, 4 months, and 10 days without any trial. From 6th of March 2017 till now?? 🥹 pic.twitter.com/DAuragxtdz
— CHUKS 🍥 (@ChuksEricE) June 5, 2025