Akwa Ibom-based human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, has been released after spending one month inside the Uyo Correctional Centre.
He was sent to prison by the Akwa Ibom Chief Judge, Ekaette Obot, for contempt of court on July 27.
Mr Effiong was seen giving a heroic welcome march by a team of supporters.
The lawyer, who posted a video on his Facebook, Friday morning, captioned it “History will vindicate the just.”
He served the first two weeks of his 30 days sentence at the Ikot Ekpene Custodial Center of the Nigeria Correctional Service.
The activist was later transferred to Uyo Custodial Centre to serve the remaining days.
Mr Effiong was reportedly abused by prison officials who scraped his hair and beard.
As seen on Friday, the lawyer’s beard had been shaved.
He said, “I am back, stronger and more determined to confront the forces of oppression and to continue to speak nothing but the hard truth to the faces of the oppressors of our people. I feel sorry for those who thought they could break my spirit by incarcerating me.”
Senior lawyers and activists had condemned what they described as failure of the judge to give Mr Efffiong a fair hearing or to defend himself.
The Attorney General of the state, Uko Udom, however, said the judge had the power to decide contempt.
Mr Effiong was defending Leo Ekpenyong in a case of libel said to have been instituted against his client by Governor Udom Emmanuel of the state.
