20-Year-Old Girl Held In Detention For 4-Years Over Mobile Phone Theft Regains Freedom

                                                    Blessing Effiong in court with a Prison guard, and a lawyer

 The case of Blessing Effiong, a 20-year-old inmate awaiting trial at the female section of Kirikiri Prisons, Lagos, perhaps typifies the injustice suffered by the poor in the Nigerian society. 

After almost four years in Kirikiri prisons for being in possession of a stolen phone, Blessing Effiong has finally regained her freedom. The 20 year old girl today July 4th pled guilty to section 430 (1) of the criminal code of Lagos state 2003. In lay man's language - being in possession of something suspected of being stolen or fraudulently obtained; an offense that carries 6 months imprisonment. The court today sentenced her to six months imprisonment but having served almost four years already, she was released and allowed to go.

Credit: Linda Ikeji