The Public Private Development Centre (PPDC), in partnership with the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, has trained forty law undergraduates of Anchor University on how to facilitate access to justice for indigent detainees through the establishment of a law clinic.
Speaking at the capacity development training, the CEO of PPDC, Lucy James Abagi, who was represented by Kenechukwu Agwu, emphasized the importance of establishing a law clinic in the university based at Ayobo, Lagos.
He noted that the legal training was part of the Reforming Pre-trial Detention in Nigeria project, which is aimed at equipping students to provide legal services for people who are awaiting trial in Nigeria.
Agwu decried the growing number of those awaiting trial, saying PPDC depends on pro bono lawyers and law students to reduce the numbers.
“Part of what we do as an NGO is the Reforming Pre-trial Detention in Nigeria, RPDN, project. We are currently implementing phase two of the RPDN project, which includes the use of paralegals and law clinics in providing legal services for people who are awaiting trial in Nigeria.”
“So we are actively using our pro bono lawyers and law students, a total of about 620 persons—lawyers and law students across 11 universities and five states to provide these services. Between May and now, we have provided a total of about 9,350 Nigerians with legal services, both at the police stations,” Agwu said.
The Dean, Faculty of Law, Prof. Chioma Kanu Agomo, appreciated PPDC, saying the training offered students hands-on practical experience on how to deal with legal issues.
“We have an MOU, and it is to train our students in clinical legal education to make law practices practical. Students learn hands-on how to deal with issues that affect societies, with this particular instance being about dealing with pre-trial detainees those who are in correctional centers,” she said.
Some of the 100L and 200L law students of Anchor University lauded the initiative and thanked the PPDC, saying the training has exposed them to the relevance of lawyers to their immediate society. They added that Mr. Agwu inspired them to educate the Ayobo community about their rights and privileges within the ambit of the law.
Kenechukwu Agwu added that PPDC is open to offering technical support to universities ready to establish a law clinic. “The NUC and the Council of Legal Education have now made it compulsory for every university with a faculty of law to have a law clinic. So we are open to supporting every faculty of law that needs our technical support.”
