The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and UNICEF have initiated a N120 million project to supply pro bono legal assistance to juvenile offenders. This move arrives as the Nigerian Correctional Service highlights a critical shortage of juvenile detention centers, noting that only three Borstal homes exist to house over 1,200 children currently on remand.
Assistant Controller General Dabit Timothy urged the government to expand these facilities, recommending at least one center in each of the nation’s six geopolitical zones. NBA President Mazi Afam Osigwe emphasized that the collaboration aims to provide robust legal defense for children, regardless of their background. He urged legal professionals and firms across the country to commit their expertise to these vulnerable cases, stressing that protecting children is a core professional duty.
UNICEF Representative Wafaa Saeed affirmed that justice is a fundamental right for every child. She noted that current barriers, such as excessive delays and a lack of legal support, necessitate a more child-friendly justice system. The Federal Government, represented by the Ministry of Justice, pledged its support for the initiative and confirmed that the 2003 Child’s Rights Act is undergoing a legislative review to better address contemporary challenges.