- The Public and Private Development Centre reports over 53,000 inmates awaiting trial in Nigeria, highlighting urgent need for justice sector reforms
- PPDC’s initiative includes deploying law students and pro bono lawyers to provide legal representation for detainees, aiming to enhance the justice system
The Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC) has revealed that over 53,000 inmates are awaiting trial across 253 custodial centers in Nigeria. According to the Nigerian Correctional Service’s data from December 2023, many of these individuals have been held without trial for years and face poor living conditions.
“This large number of pre-trial detainees underscores the urgent need for reforms in the justice sector,” stated Munachi Okoro, PPDC’s Head of Communications and Knowledge Management.
In response to this issue, PPDC organized a justice sector reform meeting in Yola, bringing together Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and other key stakeholders. This initiative is part of the second phase of the “Reforming Detention in Nigeria” (RPDN) project, funded by the US Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).
Under RPDN Phase 2, 370 law students and 50 pro bono lawyers will be deployed to provide legal representation for 1,750 detainees each year, focusing on Adamawa, Kaduna, Lagos, Nasarawa, and Plateau states.
The RPDN project aims to reduce the number of pre-trial detainees, enhance Nigeria’s criminal justice system, and improve coordination among justice sector stakeholders.
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