In commemoration of 2025 International Human Rights Day, members Centre for Legal Support and Inmate Rehabilitation (CELSIR) collaborated with KENNA to promote collective commitment to human dignity and equal rights in Nigeria.
Themed, ‘Reclaiming Dignity: Advancing Fair Hearing and People-Centred Justice System in Nigeria’, participants were drawn from across the justice sector, including the judiciary, policymakers, legal practitioners, prosecuting authorities, representatives of Nigerian Correctional Services, civil society organisations, academia and individuals with lived experience of the country’s criminal justice system.
Five sessions were conducted with ‘People-Centred Justice: Integrating Human Rights, Empathy and Rehabilitation; Beyond Incarceration: Securing Restorative Justice and Economic Rights for Victims; Highlighting Lived Experiences of Justice-Impacted Persons and The Right to Fair Hearing – Between Legal Provisions and Daily Realities, as sub-themes.
In her welcome address, CELSIR Chief Executive Officer, Joke Aladesanmi, expressed the need for deeper clarity in identifying core issues affecting justice delivery.
Also, Director, Sustainability at KENNA, Funmilayo Adeshina, commended CELSIR for its leadership in driving conversations that placed human dignity at the centre of Nigeria’s justice reform agenda. She acknowledged the significance of the theme and reaffirmed KENNA’s support.
In his Goodwill Message, Justice O.H Oshodi attributed some of the system’s challenges to administrative shortcomings on the side of prosecuting authorities and called for adequate resources to improve compliance with legal provisions by administrators and prosecuting authorities.
In a communique issued shortly after the event, stakeholders called for enhanced multi-sector collaboration across the judiciary, correctional service, police, legal profession and oversight bodies, to address system-wide challenges.
It was equally recommended that lawyers adopt a more proactive approach by · engaging available procedural safeguards in cases where administrators or lower courts do not appear to have upheld their clients’ rights.
They were equally expected to undertake diligent advocacy to defend their client’s liberty in bail hearings as well as study the nature and behaviour of individual judges to enhance mutual understanding.
While the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) was encouraged to deepen efforts at curbing unethical practices, criminal defence lawyers were tasked to uphold professional integrity to aid courts in the administration of justice.
“Lawyers engaged in sharp practices within the field of criminal defence should not be described as ‘charge and bail’ lawyers, which may create an adversarial position. Criminal defence attorneys should rather be provided with training to help stamp out sharp practices. Also, the Nigerian Correctional Service should be supported with improved logistical and infrastructural resources to ensure consistent inmate access to court”, the communique read.
