Nigerian NGO Opens Free Legal Clinic to Help Pretrial Detainees in Jos, Plateau State

JOS, Nigeria - Aug. 29, 2026 - PRLog -- Leafgreenafrica Institute LTD/GTE, operating as Leafgreen Africa, has opened a Legal Clinic in Jos, Plateau State, offering free legal representation to indigent detainees who remain in custody without formal charges or any realistic chance of making bail.

The problem the clinic targets is a national one. Nigeria's Bureau of Statistics reported that as of the second quarter of 2025, 65.8 percent of the country's roughly 81,700 prison inmates had not been convicted of any offence, they were simply awaiting trial. For many, the barrier isn't guilt or innocence; it's the cost of a lawyer, a missing case file, or a family with no way to follow up with the courts.

Leafgreen Africa's Legal Clinic was built to remove that barrier. The programme:

• Visits detention facilities to identify eligible detainees and meet with their families
• Files bail applications on behalf of clients who cannot afford legal counsel
• Traces case files that have gone missing within the court or detention system
• Follows up directly with prosecutors, courts, and detention authorities to keep cases moving
• Refers complex cases to the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria and partner organisations
• Publishes transparent case updates and donor reports

An independent, volunteer-run Oversight Board reviews the clinic's case quality and governance.

"Pretrial detention shouldn't be a punishment for being poor, but for tens of thousands of Nigerians, that's exactly what it has become," said 'Seun Adeniyi, Executive Director of Leafgreen Africa. "Our clinic exists so that a missing case file or an unaffordable bail bond doesn't cost someone months or years of their life."

The Legal Clinic extends Leafgreen Africa's mission beyond its established environmental work, which uses GIS technology and community engagement to fight deforestation and support climate resilience across Nigeria. The organisation now pairs that environmental focus with public-interest legal support, reflecting a broader commitment to justice; both for the planet and for vulnerable people.

Leafgreen Africa is inviting donors, grant-making bodies, and justice-sector partners to help fund the clinic's first year of operation. Contributions go directly toward detention-facility visits, bail filings, case tracing, and trial monitoring for detainees who otherwise have no legal representation.

Organisations, donors, or media wishing to support or learn more about the Legal Clinic can reach Leafgreen Africa at partner@leafgreenafrica.com.ng.

About Leafgreen Africa
Leafgreen Africa is a Nigerian NGO, registered as Leafgreenafrica Institute LTD/GTE, that combines geographic information system (GIS) technology, artificial intelligence, and public-interest legal support to address environmental challenges and expand access to justice for vulnerable communities in Nigeria.