A non-governmental organization called the Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC) has voiced concerns about the court system in Nigeria's detention system's delays.
The worry was voiced by Mr. Kenechukwu Agwu, Senior Programme Manager at PPDC's Access to Justice, during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
Agwu added that 1,750 prisoners in the five states where the initiatives were being carried out will receive legal assistance from the Center.
He mentioned the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Adamawa, Plateau, Nasarawa, and Kaduna among the states.
According to the project manager, nearly 80% of all prisoners are either pre-trial detainees or awaiting trial.
He claims that these individuals have been detained for an extended period of time before trial, without even knowing if they would be found guilty or innocent.
"The Access to Justice Program was recently launched with the goal of ensuring that all Nigerians have equal access to justice and that their rights are upheld.
"Anyone whose rights have been violated can quickly seek redress.
"The primary objective of the twenty-year-old PPDC is to enable the people to live the greatest lives possible within the limits of the nation.
Agwu stated, "We strive toward anything that will uplift the rights of the citizens in order to empower citizens to be able to actualize their full potential."
He stated that among other things, "making sure that there is citizens participation in governance," PPDC had concentrated on procurements, open governance, digital rights, digital governance, and data protection over the years.
Agwu went on to say that the Center would be launching its two Access to Justice initiatives, Restructuring Pre-Trial Detention in Nigeria and Court Administration and Case Management.
According to Agwu, the purpose of the panel was to analyze Nigeria's access to justice situation by bringing together stakeholders and individuals.