Introduction
The ABSU Law Clinic/CLE programme successfully executed approved projects in its calendar for the 2008/2009 session (copy attached). This was however affected by the disruption in the academic calendar which resulted from the prolonged closure of Nigerian Universities following the ASUU/Federal Government industrial dispute. As a result the Clinic’s projects-period abnormally stretched from about November 2008 till February 2010. In line with our mandate, the projects reported here formed part of the service component which was assessed to complement the academic component of the CLE Programme. For emphasis, the two components comprise the CLE programme of the Faculty of Law, Abia State University, Uturu.
The Law Clinic opened for the subject session with the selection of the 25 core clinicians out of the 500 level students. With this core group as leaders of teams/groups, teams/groups were established by the students for the service component and especially the Prisons Service and community outreach.
Pre Field (Prisons) visit & Other Workshop
The Pre field visit workshop held on 11 February 2009 to herald the 2009 Prisons Services Clinic session and other outreach programmes. This Workshop and its break up sessions held at the Faculty of Law Complex, Abia State University, Uturu with the students actively participating in the organisation and the workshop sessions. The set objectives as captured in the Coordinator’s keynote address were as follows:
“At the end of this workshop, the students would be able:
1. to identify and list the rules of prison visits, interviews and reporting;
2. to conduct such prison visits and interviews at Umuahia and Okigwe prisons.
3. to identify and list the legal needs of categories of inmates.
4. to identify the available legal aid facilities presently available to the inmates”.
In addition to the set out objectives for the students, some other objectives of the workshop included:
1. The bring together, and elicit the cooperation of, all stakeholders.
2. To sensitive the stakeholders, Faculty and community on the Prisons Service and outreach programmes generally.
3. To prepare the students sufficiently for the services.
The Workshop had in attendance, the Abia State Controller of Prisons, the Deputy Controller of Prisons, Okigwe Prisons, as well as other Prison officials; the NULAI President, Professor Ernest Ojukwu, Clinic supervisors, clinicians and the faculty. The Prison controllers delivered talks to the students on the Prisons generally and specially on Prisons, prisons’ visit rules and practices, while the NULAI President encouraged the work. One notable outcome of the Workshop was the inclusion of Aba Prisons for the services at the request of the Abia State Controller of Prisons as he commended the project and sought the clinic’s assistance by extending its services to Aba Prisons. The Workshop presentations were interactive.
After the formal closure and departure of the guest speakers, the workshop went into student-sessions and continuing the following day, as the students in their groups, had discussions and seminars to prepare for the visits to the prisons and Community outreach programmes.
Prisons Visits
On 25 February 2009, there were Prisons’ visits to Aba, Umuahia and Okigwe Prisons by student-groups. At the Prisons, the students led by the group leaders and guided by Prison officials attended to Prisoners requiring the services. They interviewed, took notes and counselled the prisoners. They also took notes of the general conditions of the Prisons and the Prisoners. There were repeat and further visits on 13 March 2009. Despite the ASUU strike, some clinicians repeated vital visits to Umuahia Prisons on 16 July 2009 to follow up on particular cases and appropriate letters/visit to the Abia State Director of Public Prosecutions, Umuahia. Again, on 11 October 2009 and 9 December 2009 student-groups visited the Prisons to follow up and conclude the session’s Prisons visit.
In all, a recorded total of 151 prisoners were served by the clinicians. This comprises 70 (Okigwe Prisons); 43 (Aba Prisons) and 38 (Umuahia Prisons). Further breakdown and details are being processed and will be available in the final report.
Community Outreaches
On 6 March 2009, the assigned student groups visited Ovim, Isiukwuato LGA headquarters on a pre-arranged meeting/Seminar with women groups from the community/local government. At the occasion the clinicians enlightened the women on the work of the Clinic as well as women’s rights, listened to individual complaints and counselled deserving ones. Other student groups visited student/other-groups within the University on enlightenment campaigns.
Submission of Reports/Assessment
All the students involved in the visits submitted their reports/notes of the Prison visits or outreach programmes through the group leaders for assessment by Clinic Supervisors. The assessments formed part of the final marks awarded to students in the course work (academic component) in Introduction to Practical Law III and IV.
Post Field (Prisons) Visit Workshop
Working to complete the programme for the session, on 6 February 2010, the Post Field/Prisons Visit Workshop held to assess the Prisons Services work for the session.
The workshop held at the Kolping Society, World Bank Estate, Umuahia. This workshop concluded with a Law Clinic Dinner hosted in conjunction with the Law Students Association and attended by all students/staff of the Faculty. Representatives of the Prisons Service, DPP’s office and private legal practitioners were in attendance. Again, the event was graced by the NULAI President. The highpoint of the occasion was a presentation by the Leader of the students’ groups in the field work, Mr. Ijebuonwu Orisa on the Students’ experiences at the Prisons. This was a participant/ participant observer’s perspective. This was followed by a critique of the exercise by both supervisors and other stakeholders with a view to improving on the services.
Assessment of files/Reports
The students’ files, opinions and reports which were assessed for purposes of awarding credit marks are currently being processed for the final report. The report would be ready soon.
5th NCCC
During the period under review, ABSU Law Clinic participated at the 5th Nigerian National Client Counselling Competition which held at the Nigerian Law School, Augustine Nnamani Campus, Enugu from 22-23 January 2010. ABSU Law Clinic won the competition. As the national champions, the Faculty/University represented Nigeria during the 2010 Louise M. Brown International Client Counselling Competition which held at the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong from 7-10 April 2010. The Clinic was represented by Orji Agwu Uka and Amalachukwu Nwazota as competitors and Dr. Sam Erugo and Chukwuemeka Ezeogu as coaches. The Nigerian delegation to the competition included Hon. Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, and the NULAI President, Prof. Ernest Ojukwu.
Dr. Sam Erugo
Coordinator
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