Abuja: The Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC) has called for urgent reforms in Nigeria’s justice sector and increased institutional support from the government to address the issue of over 70,000 awaiting-trial inmates in the country. This appeal was made by PPDC’s Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Lucy Abagi, during the 2025 Law for Humanity Summit held in Abuja, an event previously known as the Pro Bono Conference.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the summit, supported by the United States Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, aims to tackle systemic gaps in pre-trial detention through capacity building, collaboration, and motivation of frontline legal support actors. Abagi emphasized the need for these reforms by highlighting that Nigeria has over 70,000 individuals awaiting trial in custodial centres nationwide, with the summit’s project aiming to reduce this number significantly.
The PPDC has launched the ‘Reforming Pre-Trial Detention in Nigeria Phase Two’ initiative following baseline assessments that revealed widespread detention challenges across custodial facilities. The organisation collaborates with a network of justice actors, including student-clinicians, pro bono lawyers, and duty solicitors at 50 police stations across Nigeria. These young professionals are engaged in reviewing case files, representing detainees in court, and intervening at police stations, with annual training sessions to enhance their skills and commitment to delivering justice services.
Abagi expressed concerns over the affordability of legal representation for many Nigerians, citing exorbitant legal fees that remain out of reach for ordinary citizens. She provided an example of a firm charging N1million merely to accompany an individual to a police station, illustrating the financial burden faced by many.
In addressing the sustainability of pro bono services, Abagi pointed out that pro bono does not equate to completely free services. While PPDC supports costs such as transport, data, and filing fees, she stressed the need for the government to adopt and scale this model nationwide to prevent unlawful detentions and rights abuses. She envisioned a significant reduction in illegal detention if each state had 100 duty solicitors stationed at police stations.
Abagi also emphasized the importance of maintaining ethical standards in the legal profession while empowering those offering free services. She highlighted the summit’s essence as being about skill enhancement, practitioner motivation, and upholding ethics in service to humanity. The event gathered legal experts, civil society leaders, students, police duty solicitors, and other stakeholders in the justice system, under the theme ‘The Quintessential Pro Bono Lawyer: Providing Value Without Compromising Professional Standards’.