Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, has urged legal practitioners across the country to provide free legal services to indigent and vulnerable Nigerians who cannot afford legal representation.
Otti made the appeal while declaring open the 2026 Nigerian Bar Association Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL) Annual Conference at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia.
The conference, themed, “In Public Interest: Advancing Justice, Democracy and Development,” focused on access to justice, human rights, judicial independence, disability rights and the role of lawyers in strengthening democracy.
The governor said the responsibility of protecting vulnerable citizens should not rest on government alone, urging lawyers to place public interest above financial considerations and extend assistance to people whose rights had been violated but lacked the resources to seek redress.
He also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to improving judicial infrastructure in Abia State and encouraged legal practitioners to embrace technology and emerging developments in legal practice.
Otti cautioned against the use of the justice system to victimise citizens over their political opinions or activities on social media, insisting that fundamental rights must remain central to governance.
Osinbajo, NBA President Seek Wider Access to Justice
In his keynote address, former Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, called on lawyers to move beyond litigation and legal interpretation by championing public interest and protecting disadvantaged groups.
Osinbajo identified the high cost of legal services, delays in court proceedings, judicial corruption and impunity as major barriers to justice. He advocated reforms that would make legal assistance more affordable and accessible to ordinary Nigerians.
The President of the NBA, Mrs Oyinkansola Badejo-Okunsanya, also urged NBA-SPIDEL to strengthen its advocacy for justice, democracy and development.
She called for urgent attention to the treatment of children in police custody and detention facilities, citing reported deaths in custody. She stressed that children must be treated as minors from the moment they come into contact with law enforcement authorities.
Earlier, Abia State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Ikechukwu Uwanna, urged young lawyers and other stakeholders to make the pursuit of justice a priority.
Uwanna commended the state government for enacting the Criminal Justice Law 2026, Administration of Justice Law 2026 and Restorative Justice System Law 2026, describing the legislations as measures aimed at strengthening the justice sector.
The Chairman of the Local Organising Committee and Solicitor-General of Abia State, Mr Paul Ogubunka, said the turnout at the conference reflected growing commitment among legal practitioners to public interest advocacy and justice sector reforms.
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