By Blessing Elo Oghene
Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, has called on legal practitioners across the country to prioritise access to justice by extending legal services to indigent and vulnerable citizens who cannot afford legal representation.
Otti made the call in Umuahia while declaring open the 2026 Nigerian Bar Association Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL) Annual Conference, themed, “In Public Interest: Advancing Justice, Democracy and Development.”
The governor urged lawyers to adopt a more humane approach to cases involving disadvantaged citizens, stressing that the pursuit of justice should take precedence over financial interests and professional gains.
He challenged legal practitioners to consider how they could use their expertise to assist people who lack the financial capacity to defend their rights.
According to him, providing legal assistance to vulnerable citizens should remain a major responsibility of the legal profession.
Otti recalled that his administration had discovered cases of individuals who remained in correctional facilities despite allegedly having no valid reason for continued detention.
He cited the case of an individual reportedly imprisoned for supporting an opposition political party, adding that the experience prompted him to direct the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice to work with the Chief Judge to secure the release of affected inmates.
The governor also warned against the misuse of the justice system to punish citizens for expressing their opinions or engaging in social media activities, insisting that the protection of fundamental human rights must remain central to governance.
He further disclosed that his administration would soon commission 10 newly constructed courthouses equipped with renewable energy systems, digitalised court records and broadband connectivity.
Otti also encouraged lawyers to embrace technological advancements and prepare for emerging developments in legal practice.
In his keynote address, former Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, urged lawyers to go beyond litigation and legal interpretation by championing public interest, protecting disadvantaged citizens and ensuring that democracy delivers meaningful benefits to the people.
Osinbajo identified expensive legal services, prolonged court proceedings, judicial corruption and impunity as major obstacles to access to justice. He therefore advocated people-centred reforms to make legal services more affordable and accessible.
Earlier, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mrs Oyinkansola Badejo-Okunsaya, SAN, called on NBA-SPIDEL to strengthen its advocacy for justice, democracy and development, particularly in protecting vulnerable citizens and improving access to justice.
She also urged the section to intervene in the treatment of children held in police custody and detention facilities, following reported deaths in custody.
Badejo-Okunsaya emphasised that children in detention must be recognised and treated as children, regardless of the circumstances surrounding their arrest.
She tasked NBA-SPIDEL with working alongside relevant NBA branches and human rights organisations to identify cases, partners and areas requiring urgent intervention within 30 days of the conference.
She further directed the section to submit a progress report on its interventions within 90 days.
