PPDC urges Tinubu to declare state of emergency in Nigeria’s justice sector

By Editor

The Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC) has asked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in Nigeria’s correctional centres and courts, over systemic decay and human rights violations across the justice sector.

Ms Lucy Abagi, the chief executive officer (CEO) of the PPDC, made the call in Abuja during the access to justice parley 2025.

The Access to Justice Parley, a high-level dialogue convening legal practitioners, policymakers, civil society organizations, security institutions, and development partners was to address key issues shaping Nigeria’s justice system.

Abagi said the scale of dysfunction in the justice system has reached a crisis point, with over 70,000 Nigerians currently in correctional facilities, most of them awaiting trial.

She also described the situation as ‘a grave assault’ on the constitutional rights of citizens, noting that many detainees may never appear before a judge or have access to legal representation.

“We are at a point where the president must declare a state of emergency in our correctional centres and courts. The justice system has been crippled by infrastructural deficits, lack of digital tools, and slow judicial processes,” Abagi said.

She noted that more than 90 percent of Nigerian judges still record proceedings by hand, a practice she said is ‘embarrassing’ in a digital era.

She said, “From infrastructural deficits to the lack of digital systems in this age where countries are competing on innovations, AI and creativity, more than 90 percent of our courts and judges still write long lines using pen and paper, and cases drag for years because judgements cannot be delivered on time.”
The PPDC’s boss said that through her organisation’s interventions, digital monitoring systems were introduced in 16 correctional centres across six states, including the federal capital territory (FCT), Adamawa, Kaduna, Plateau, Ebonyi, and Oyo.
She said that the initiative provides solar-powered computers and internet connectivity to help track inmates’ welfare and court appearances.
While saying that the PPDC, working with university law clinics and pro bono lawyers, has helped stop over thousands of unlawful detentions through its police duty solicitor scheme.
Abagi said through the reforming pretrial detention in Nigeria project (Phase II), PPDC has provided free legal representation to over 20,009 detainees, leading to the release of 8,552 individuals who had been unlawfully detained without trial.
She said, “However, the impact remains minimal compared to the scale of the problem. We have reached less than one percent of the courts in Nigeria.”
She urged the federal government to institutionalise digital justice systems in its budget rather than rely on donor-funded projects, warning that continued neglect would deepen the crisis in Nigeria’s justice delivery chain.
On his part, Prof. Dakas Dakas, SAN, the CEO of the Nigerian Law Reform Commission (NLRC), presenting the theme of the conference, “Justice, security, and governance -A unified agenda for Nigeria’s sustainable development”, noted that sustainable development is impossible without a justice system that protects human rights and ensures equal access for all citizens.
Dakas called for deeper collaboration between government institutions, civil society, and the private sector to strengthen the rule of law and ensure that reforms translate into tangible benefits for ordinary Nigerians.
He commended the PPDC’s digital justice innovations, saying they are model for other African countries seeking to modernise their justice systems through data-driven tools and citizen-centred approaches.
In her goodwill, Muchaneta Mundopa, head of the justice, integrity, and health unit of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), represented by Melissa Omena, commended the PPDC’s leadership in advancing justice reforms in Nigeria.
She said, “UNODC is proud to walk alongside Nigeria in strengthening justice, security, and governance -three pillars essential to sustainable development.”
Also speaking, Barrister Pwadumdi Okoh, representing the Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Dr. Anthony Ojukwu, SAN, said access to justice remains a fundamental human right that underpins democracy and sustainable growth.
She urged continued reforms based on human rights, inclusivity, and accountability, noting that Nigeria’s adoption of the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights would help balance national security with respect for human dignity.