Lawyers urge NBA to mandate free legal representation for awaiting trial inmates

In a bid to reduce the increasing number of awaiting trial cases in Nigerian prisons, a group of lawyers has called on the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) to mandate lawyers across the country to take up at least one free case a year.

The group, made up of some young lawyers from Gbenga Makanjuola & Co Chambers, made the call during a visit to the Nigeria Prisons, Kuje in Abuja (FCT), where they went to render free legal representation for inmates on the awaiting trial list.

While receiving them, the officer in charge of the prison, Deputy Controller of Prisons, Akilu Abdullahi, said over 70% inmates awaiting trial in Nigerian prisons were locked up for lack of reasonable legal representation.

He said effort such as that brought to the prison by the young lawyers was what the country needed from lawyers.

Speaking on behalf of the group, the initiator of the project, Yahaya Ndakene Abubakar said they were motivated to give free legal service because of the plight of prison inmates.

He said other lawyers could also key into the initiative to give back to the society, noting that the procedure to access the inmates for free the representation was not difficult.

One of the inmates, who thanked the lawyers on behalf of others, said he had been on awaiting trial for 12 years because he did not have any one to represent him.

“I have been here for over 12 years now on awaiting trial because I don’t have anyone to speak for me. All the big men that come here always forget about us immediately they are released. They always secure their releases fast because they have lawyers fighting for them,” he said.

The group, in conjunction with two non-governmental organisations (NGO), Lyngrace Foundation and Aduga Foundation, also presented some gifts to the inmates.