The Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, LACON, has expressed its readiness to offer free legal services to family members of victims of the EndSARS protest across the federation.
The Director-General of the Council, Mr. Aliyu Abubakar, who made the disclosure when he received a delegation from the
Avocats Sans Frontières France (ASF France), also known as Lawyers Without Borders, in Abuja, maintained that the organization was statutorily empowered to defend citizens whenever their rights are infringed upon.
However, Abubakar, while applauding the Lagos state EndSARS panel for its report, said it was too early for people to pre-empt the possible cause of action the Federal Government would take, especially as it relates to some of the recommendations that were referred to it for consideration.
He said the FG should be commended for encouraging states where the EndSARS protests took place, to conduct independent investigations into alleged human rights abuses by security agents.
“If you have been following events for the past one year since the occurrence of the EndSARS protest, almost every state of the federation constituted a panel to look into the abuses, and in most of the states, the Committees have submitted their reports.
“Only recently, that of Lagos state was submitted, which has elicited a lot of reactions, both nationally and internationally.
“Some days ago, the state government issued a White Paper over the report and it is something to be proud of that the state government has accepted some of the recommendations of the panel’s report, while rejecting some other parts of the report.
“But all said and done, the fact that something is happening that has not happened before is an indication that the country is moving towards the right direction as far as human right abuses and human rights concerns are being addressed.
“This government in particular hs made it a duty to make sure that issues are settled by the courts as they happen. This is a clear indication of the government’s intention to as much as possible, support areas of human right dimensions that were not taken care of”.
Noting that Lagos state had in less than two weeks after the EndSARS panel report was submitted to it, issued its own White Paper, Abubakar, said it was the right of anyone to protest against any aspect of the White Paper they found offensive.
“They have accepted some of the recommendations, rejected some and have forwarded, according to them, some of the recommendations to the federal government because those issues are beyond the powers of the Lagos state government.
“So, regarding people that are protesting, it is their right to protest the government’s White Paper decisions. Though I want to believe that we are being hasty in our decision. We should await the government because some of the issues have been forwarded to the federal government by the Lagos state government.
“We should await position of FG on some of these recommendations that were forwarded for its own consideration.
“As to what the Legal Aid Council can do, our power starts at level of where anybody’s right is being infringed upon. We have the power to defend or give the necessary legal advice and giving the necessary defence that is required for a defendant to be able to prosecute his matter in various courts of law.
“So, all I can say is that those who are protesting the outcome of the White Paper released by Lagos state government gave the right to go to court and whatever grievance they think they have can be prosecuted by those of us who are supposed to give them the legal advice and legal assistance they require to prosecute their matter”, the LACON boss added.
On his part, Chairman of the Board of Directors of ASF France, Mr. Ivan Panett, said the organization was committed to developing new projects to protect victims of human right abuses in Nigeria.
He said the organization, in collaboration with critical stakeholders like the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, regularly train both lawyers and security agents, especially on the issue of torture and need to strengthen the rule of law.
Likewise, the Country Director of ASF France in Nigeria, Mrs. Angela Uwandu Iwuchukwu, said the organization would support the prosecution of every security agents indicted by EndSARS panels.
“December 10 which is the International Day on Human Rights is just around the corner. It is a time for reflection on the state of human rights in the country.
“We also have been following closely the work of various panels that were set up following the EndSARS issue that occurred in the country.
“We are happy that the report and indeed the White Paper have been made public now by at least the panel in Lagos state and we are hoping we will get at the national level and also the various states
“For us and our partners, it is important that those that have been found culpable, the police officers and others accused of committing acts of torture and brutalities against citizens by the panel’s report are prosecuted under the Anti-torture Act which was signed into law by the President in 2017.
“Indeed, it will be a good time, giving the celebration around the human rights day, for the President and the Attorney-General of the Federation to put action to ensure implementation and prosecution of those found liable by the panels, using the Act”, she added.