The case of a 12-year-old boy, Emeka Nzeruike, arrested in 2015 for allegedly stealing and released 10 years after without trial has exposed the inadequacies of the Nigerian judiciary.
It was learnt that the young man was thrown into prison at the age of 12. He was released at the age of 22 following legal intervention.
X user, @_youfoundalex, a lawyer shared the young man’s story and wrote: “Today at the prisons, I met a boy who has been in prison for 10 years.
He was sent to prison when he was 12 in 2015. He is 22 now, still in prison awaiting trial for stealing. If I was told this story, I would hardly believe it,” the lawyer wrote.
With the support of his colleagues, the lawyer took legal action and secured Emeka’s release after a decade of wrongful detention.
He added, “At the young age of 12, Emeka Nzeruike was thrown into prison in 2015 alone, afraid, and forgotten. No trial, no lawyer, no voice.
Today, we stood where justice had long been silent. We held his hands, walked him out of the courtroom, and gave him back his future. Welcome back, Emeka.”
The post quickly went viral, prompting strong emotional reactions from users who flooded the comment section to express outrage, sympathy, and support.
The case has ignited widespread criticism of the Nigerian justice system, with many asking how a minor could be detained for so long without trial, violating not just human rights, but also the Child Rights Act and international conventions Nigeria is party to.
“This is beyond injustice,” one social media user commented. “It’s a complete system failure.” Human rights groups have called for an immediate audit of inmates across Nigerian prisons, especially minors and others held in pre-trial detention for extended periods.
Many have also demanded compensation and psychosocial support for Emeka, who is now expected to begin the difficult journey of reintegration into society.
𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁𝘀𝗔𝗽𝗽 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗧𝗼 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗔𝘀 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽!
