HOPE FOR THE HOPELESS PROJECT

HOPE FOR THE HOPELESS PROJECT

The Executive Secretary and Board members of Centre For Peace and Conflict Management in Africa in partnership with Rethink Africa Foundation paid a visit to some prisons in Nigeria. Where they got first hand report of the living condition of inmates.

It would be observed that the prisons are overcrowded and lacked the basic facilities.

In furtherance of the Hope for The Hopeless Project the NGO identified about 150 critical cases needing urgent judicial intervention.

It would be recalled that the NGO has earlier in the year successfully secured a favorable judgement from the ECOWAS Court in the case of Gabriel Inyang and Linus Iyeme v Federal Republic of Nigeria (ECW/CCJ/APP/03/18) where the Court ordered their immediate release after spending about 17 years on death row.

In continuation of the project the NGO is happy to announce that they have filed four (4) new cases at the ECOWAS Court in addition to several others still pending in various Courts.

Briefs Statement

1. OZIOMA AZORYEME; a female who was sentenced to death at the age of 16 years old and has been on death row for about 8 years now, she has lived under extremely dehumanizing condition which has now affected her health, currently at Suleja Prision Niger State.

2. DANIEL AKAKA; a male adult and is presently on death row in Warri Prison, for about 28 years now, he has undergone torture and extremely inhuman conditions. He has lived daily in fear not knowing when and at what time he would be executed. This has made him to develop serious medical conditions.

3. MARY BAHAGO; a female, 48 years old, is presently on death row in Suleja Prison, for about 20 years now, she has undergone torture and extremely inhuman conditions. She has lived daily in fear not knowing when and at what time she would be executed. This has made her to develop high blood pressure and other serious medical conditions.

4. OLANREWAJU AKOGWU; a male adult and he is presently on death row in Warri Prison, for about 17 years now, he has undergone torture and extremely inhuman conditions. He has lived daily in fear not knowing when and at what time he would be executed. This has made him to develop serious medical conditions

PARTICULARS OF THE NEW FILLINGS

1. The Incorporated Trustees of Centre for Peace and Conflict Mgt in Africa and Rethink Africa Foundation on behalf of OZIOMA AZORYEME V Federal Republic of Nigeria. With Suit No ECW/CCJ/APP/47/18.

2. The Incorporated Trustees of Centre for Peace and Conflict Mgt in Africa and Rethink Africa Foundation on behalf of DANIEL AKAKA V Federal Republic of Nigeria. With Suit No ECW/CCJ/APP/44/18.

3. The Incorporated Trustees of Centre for Peace and Conflict Mgt in Africa and Rethink Africa Foundation on behalf of MARY BAHAGO V Federal Republic of Nigeria, With Suit No ECW/CCJ/APP/45/18.

4. The Incorporated Trustees of Centre for Peace and Conflict Mgt in Africa and Rethink Africa Foundation on behalf of OLANREWAJU AKOGWU V Federal Republic of Nigeria. With Suit No ECW/CCJ/APP/46/18.

Hope for the Hopeless Project (HHP)

PHASE ONE

Identify and secure the freedom of

a. Inmates on Death Row

b. Inmates awaiting Trial

c. Inmates with Babies/Children in Prison

d. Inmates with serious medical condition

e. Inmates with disabilities and the aged

f. Juvenile inmates

There are quite a number of prison inmates who have been in prison for so many years and have not been tried because they cannot afford legal services. This has been a major problem which these inmates or their relatives cannot solve. Some of these inmates have spent more than the term of the punishment of the offence they are accused of in the prison, while some if tried could be found innocent and lack of their trail means taking an undeserved punishment for years. On the other hand, there are inmates that have been tried, sentenced to death. This second group do not have any further hope, as most of them do not even have the right of appeal because they have convicted by a military tribunal. While we have those who didn’t even appeal at all.

However, we have the option of approaching the Economic Community of West Africa State on their behalf. And a host of other legal options to secure their freedom. The solution to this problem is to take up the cases of these inmates Pro Bono.

PHASE TWO

The phase two of the project involves rehabilitation and reintegration. Here we help the inmates who we have assisted in gaining their freedom to integrate back in the society, this we do through a through psychological assessment, medical treatment, diet and feeding program, housing, and training in our entrepreneurship scheme. Thereafter they are empowered with loans to start life afresh.

Embarking on this project is so important, as these will be of great help to so many inmates who could not seek for justice and their lives are wasting away in prison cells because of lack of fund for their legal service.

FOR PARTNERSHIP / SPONSORSHIP / FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

Kindly call the Executive Secretary Directly or send a mail to centreforpeaceinafrica@gmail.com or you can donate online https://centreforpeace.org/donate-now/

“We make a living by what we get, But we make a life by what we give” Winston Churchill

Be a part of this life transformation project.

Thanks

Abosede Ajare

Executive Secretary

+2347064979734

ww.centreforpeace.org