Recent statistics by the Nigerian Correctional Service show that approximately 70% of prisoners in Nigeria are pre-trial or awaiting trial detainees. Many of these detainees are charged with minor offenses such as fighting, trespassing, stealing, and even defaulting on debt obligations. Although these offenses are bailable, many detainees remain imprisoned due to a lack of access to adequate and consistent legal representation.

While some of them are innocent, many will end up staying in prison detention for longer than the maximum sentence they would serve if found guilty. According to a report by the Open Society Justice Initiative, the average length of pre-trial detention in Nigeria is 3.7 years.
In order to help solve this problem, the Flemer Project was founded in October 2018 with the objective of helping pre-trial detainees, especially those charged with minor offenses, conclude their matters in court as quickly as possible.