"We are much here, people are arriving every second."
There is anxiety in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, as residents, on Friday morning, await the release of a human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, from prison.
The Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom State, Ekaette Obot, sentenced Mr Effiong to 30 days imprisonment, 27 July, for alleged contempt of court after the lawyer objected to the presence of two armed police operatives inside the courtroom.
Mrs Obot, minutes before committing Mr Effiong to prison, had ordered a PREMIUM TIMES reporter to leave the courtroom for covering the proceedings without the court's "permission".
The reporter was briefly detained and his phone confiscated by the police on the order of the judge, Mrs Obot.
Mr Effiong, a Lagos-based lawyer, was at Mrs Obot's court to defend his client in a defamation case in which the Akwa Ibom Governor, Udom Emmanuel, is the claimant.
Mr Effiong had in previous proceedings requested the judge to recuse herself from the case.
Several groups, including Amnesty International, Nigerian Bar Association, and Nigeria Labour Congress, have condemned Mr Effiong's incarceration.
'He's our hero'
A handful of the crowd gathered somewhere around Wellington Bassey Way, Uyo, as early as 7:20 a.m. on Friday, waiting to welcome the incarcerated lawyer, Mr Effiong, from the Uyo prison.
Wellington Bassey Way, a major road in the city, leads to the Uyo prison, as well as the Government House, and the judiciary headquarters in the state.
Collins Oscar, a young entrepreneur, was the first among Mr Effiong's supporters to arrive at Wellington Bassey around 6:47 a.m.
"I'm already here, waiting for the release of our hero Inibehe Effiong," he posted on his Facebook page, around 7:12 a.m.
By 7:20 a.m., others started arriving and the crowd was gradually growing, Mr Oscar told PREMIUM TIMES.
"We are much here, people are arriving every second," he said. "There are about 28 people here."
Mr Oscar said the mood at the scene is "readiness". "Everybody is so ready. We are ready to receive Inibehe Effiong," he said.
Mr Effiong's associate and head of Inibehe Effiong Chambers in Uyo, Augustine Asuquo, addressed the crowd - which by now included some reporters and members of civil society organisations - on the plan to receive the lawyer as soon as he steps out from the prison.
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"Let's not allow them to beat us to our own game," one of the speakers could be heard telling the crowd, apparently referring to security operatives.
"We are in control of the game, we can't be responding based on their own actions. If we respond based on their own action, we would have lost control," he said.
PREMIUM TIMES asked Mr Oscar what the crowd was apprehensive about.
"The time was fixed for 7:30 a.m. for his release, time is going. But let's just exercise patience, he will be released," he responded.
"Inibehe is our hero, he has been an inspiration and a voice to so many young people."
I have cancelled so many of my engagements today. I had a wedding and a speaking engagement today, but I will wait here till he is released even if it takes a whole day.
Mr Oscar said he and others were not afraid of possible harassment by security agencies.
"This is Nigeria and anything can happen. We are ready for all of that," he said.
