Lawyers, CSOs to tackle access to justice, deaths in custody

From Godwin Tsa, Abuja

Lawyers, judges, policymakers and civil society actors will converge in Umuahia, Abia State, next month to examine barriers to justice, threats to democracy and measures to prevent deaths and abuses in custody.

The Nigerian Bar Association Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL) will hold its 2026 Annual Conference from November 10 to 13 at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia, with the Abia State Government as co-host.

Announcing the event at a press conference at the NBA National Secretariat in Abuja, the Section’s Chair, Dr. Uju Agomoh, said the gathering would provide a platform for “serious conversation, practical solutions and strategic action.”

The four-day conference, themed “In Public Interest: Advancing Justice, Democracy and Development,” will bring together participants from the judiciary, legal profession, government, civil society, academia, development institutions and the security and justice sectors.

Agomoh said justice could not be meaningful when citizens were unable to access it, noting that participants would examine delays in the administration of justice, inadequate legal representation, weak institutions and the difficulties faced by vulnerable and marginalised groups.

Discussions would also focus on strengthening legal aid, promoting non-custodial measures and improving oversight of detention facilities.

She said the Section would continue to draw attention to the urgent need to prevent avoidable deaths and abuses in detention and ensure that facilities operated in accordance with Nigerian law and international human rights standards.

On democratic governance, Agomoh warned: “Democracy cannot survive on elections alone.”

She said sustaining democracy required strong institutions, respect for the rule of law, accountability, transparency and independent oversight, adding that the conference would examine the role of lawyers in defending constitutional governance and strengthening democratic institutions.

Participants would also discuss corruption, illicit financial flows and terrorism financing, alongside ways to strengthen legal mechanisms for protecting public resources and national security while upholding human rights and due process.

Other issues on the agenda include public interest litigation, policing and community safety, state policing, correctional reform and the participation of young lawyers, women lawyers and lawyers with disabilities.

“We are not gathering in Umuahia merely to discuss problems. We are gathering to identify solutions, responsibilities and pathways for action,” Agomoh said.

She expressed the hope that deliberations would produce concrete commitments extending beyond the conference hall and urged the media to help bring the issues to wider public attention.

Agomoh thanked the Abia State Government, partners, sponsors and speakers for supporting the conference.

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