Impact Stories
In 2018, Abu, a carpenter from a suburban area in Lagos, decided to leave his business due to declining patronage and opted for a motorcycle on hire purchase for N200,000 to use commercially. By 2019, police seized his motorcycle for being out late at night, despite him having only N76,000 left to pay on the hire purchase. The motorcycle owner, who had recovered it from the police, refused to return it even though Abu was nearly finished with his payments.
During this turbulent period, Abu became involved in local politics and developed friendships with fellow party members. However, he faced hostility from the Baale’s (community head) son due to ideological differences. In April 2019, the Baale’s son, accompanied by police officers, raided Abu’s home and arrested him, accusing him of disturbing the peace. He was taken to the SARS office and later charged with stealing a motorcycle.
Although the court granted him bail, Abu was remanded at Kirikiri Correctional Centre. At his subsequent court hearings, witnesses appeared but provided incomplete testimony, with no evidence linking Abu to the alleged theft. His lawyer advised him to call his family to perfect the bail, but his relatives were financially unable to assist, and the lawyer stopped attending to his case due to unpaid fees. This left Abu at the mercy of a prosecutor who continuously requested adjournments as witnesses failed to show up.
Abu’s situation changed when he met with Headfort Foundation’s lawyer at the Ogba Magistrate Court mobile office. After detailing his case, the lawyer took up his defense, investigated the court proceedings, and discovered that the prosecution had failed to produce evidence or witnesses. On December 7, 2020, following multiple adjournments and the prosecution’s unwillingness to pursue the case, the court discharged Abu. He had spent 1 year and 8 months in prison before gaining his freedom through Headfort’s “Lawyers Without Borders” project.
