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Sustainability of Police Duty Solicitors Scheme will minimize human rights abuse- DG LACON

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By Gistflash News

Aug 11, 2021

The Director-General of the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria ( LACON), Mr Aliyu Abubakar said the sustainability of the Police Duty Solicitors Scheme ( PDSS), would go a long way to minimize human rights abuse in the police stations.

Abubakar made this known on Wednesday, during the PDSS Advisory Committee meeting held at the Council’s headquarters in Abuja.

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” If PDSS is sustained, it will go a long way in minimizing the abuse of human rights associated with the way and manner the Nigeria Police arrest, detain and send people to prison for no cause”.

The DG further reiterated that the Scheme had made giant stride across some States of the Federation by putting some lawyers in some of the police stations to render free legal services to arrested indigent persons.

” We have gone far because we have tried especially in the FCT and in other States to have our Legal Aid lawyers, NBA lawyers who are strategic partners covering some of these police stations.

” While in some other States we use NYSC lawyers under their Law Clinic Programme to assist in covering some of these police stations.

” They are always at the police stations as they are part and parcel of the arrest and detention if necessary of supposed offenders,” Abubakar emphasized.

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The DG who is also a co-chairman of the committee having highlighted the achievements of the scheme, in addition stated the challenges currently facing it.

” Like every other aspect of our operation, we have seen that because it is pro bono, the issue of getting a lawyer to be able to perform can be difficult, because if you need some finance to run around or transport yourself from one point to another in an attempt to achieve what PDSS is set up to achieve.

“Funding basically has been a challenge, but we are managing especially with resources the Council and also the NBA is giving us in large and big support because they have lawyers who offer pro bono services.

He further said that the scheme was supposed to run on pro bono, that is rendering free legal services to those who could not afford it by LACON.

” Assuming a high powered individual is arrested in our society, before even questioning him, you will see a lot of Senior Advocates of Nigeria going to be part of the interrogation and questioning.

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“But in most cases, you have poor Nigerians who are arrested without doing anything. But you know the police has the power to arrest anybody on the mere suspicion of committing one offence or the other.

“So that basic right given to Nigerians to have legal representation even at the point of arrest is a very good idea which the PDSS is set up to achieve,” he said.

In the same vein, another member of the committee, Mr Bulus Atsen, chairman NBA Abuja branch ( Unity Bar), said Force Order 20 was a legal instrument that was made by the police which can bring about accountability in policing.

Stanley Ibe, a representative of OSJI, said the scheme is focused on the police stations ” there used to be a court solicitor’s scheme, ( though I don’t know if it is still in existence), which is suppose to be the one to take up from the police.

“Now even though it is Police Duty Solicitor Scheme, there are lawyers who do that at the police station and still follow up on cases”,.

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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Scheme which was initiated in 2004 by LACON in partnership with Open Society Justice Initiative ( OSJI) as a project on pre-trial detention and reform of legal aid services in Nigeria.

The pre-trial detention project sought to address the root causes of long pre-trial detention and correctional facilities over-crowding in Nigeria.

The PDSS as a key component of the project is a mechanism which provides for free legal services for suspects and detained persons at police stations on a 24 hours basis.

The PDSS was guided by a Memorandum of Understanding which was signed by the OSJI, LACON and the Nigerian Police Force ( NPF).

In 2006, management of the pre-trial detention project was handed over to the Rights Enforcement and Public Law Centre (REPLACE).

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Between 2010 and 2012, REPLACE’s Board approved the adoption of a new programme objective for the PDSS which would result in the translation of the PDSS into a Police Force Order.

The Force Order transformed the PDSS into an administrative policy of the NPF, situated the PDSS within the NPF and would served as a framework for the provision of legal services to suspects and detainees at their first point of contact with the criminal justice process.

On Sept. 20, 2017, the NPF launched the Force Order 20. The Order institutionalizes the PDSS as a robust mechanism for the provision of legal services to all needy persons within the jurisdiction of every Police station in Nigeria.

Force Order 20 establishes an Advisory committee which is charged with ensuring the implementation of its provisions.

Members of the Advisory committee include the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force CIID, CP Legal of the NPF, LACON.

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Others are Open Society Justice Initiative, Nigerian Bar Association, Police Service Commission, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), National Human Rights Commission ( NHRC), Attorney General of the Federation, National Orientation Agency, Chief Judge of FCT, and REPLACE.

NAN

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Gunmen Attack Anambra Police Station, Kill Four Officers

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Gunmen Attack Anambra Police Station, Kill Four Officers
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Unknown gunmen in the early hours of Wednesday attacked a police station located in Atani, the headquarters of Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State.

It was gathered that the gunmen launched the attack on the police facility around 1:30 am on Wednesday.

A further report had it that four police officers were killed in the attack.

Since the emergence of Charles Soludo as the Governor of Anambra State there had been series of attacks on police and government facilities in the state.

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Meanwhile, the spokesman of the state police command, DSP Toochukwu Ikenga, has confirmed the development.

He said, “The hoodlums came around 1 a.m., and unlucky for us, four police operatives paid the supreme price.”

“The Commissioner of Police, CP Echeng Echeng on hearing of the attack immediately mobilized men of the command from various units to the area.

“The hoodlums were still there when the CP personally led men of the command to the affected area, and the timely arrival saved the day and the hoodlums were successfully repelled, and the facility was saved.

“We have commenced intelligence already, and we hope to unravel the persons behind the attack.”

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Supreme Court Affirms Six-Year Jail Term For Former Director Of Pensions, John Yakubu

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Supreme Court Affirms Six-Year Jail Term For Former Director Of Pensions, John Yakubu

Supreme Court Affirms Six-Year Jail Term For Former Director Of Pensions, John YakubSupreme Court Affirms Six-Year Jail Term For Former Director Of Pensions, John Yakubu

The Supreme Court has affirmed the six years imprisonment imposed on a former Federal Director of Pensions, Mister John Yakubu, and also ordered him to refund the sum of N22.9b to the Federal Government.

The N22.9b was part of the police pension fund he admitted before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to have been misappropriate

Justice Tijjani Abubakar in a judgment in an appeal filed by Yusuf upheld the decision of the Court of Appeal which in 2018 sent him to six years imprisonment in addition to the refund of the sum.

The apex court held that Yusuf and others engaging in fraudulent practices must be told through court judgments that it is no longer business as usual.

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Sept 26, 2021A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mallam Yusuf Ali, says it is not to late for members of the  National Assembly to revisit the issue of  electronic transmission of election results to ensure credibility.Ali, who made the remarks while speaking in an interview with newsmen on Sunday in Osogbo, said the more credible elections were, the less litigations they will attract.The  News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports  that the Nigerian Senate had on July 16, passed the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2021, after division among its members on the electronic transmission of results.

The clause 52(2) of the bill gives the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) the discretion to determine when, where and how voting and transmission of results will be done.

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The Senate had ruled out the possibility of having results transmitted electronically when it voted that the NCC, with the National Assembly’s approval, would determine whether INEC could transmit results electronically or not.

Similarly, the House of Representatives, on July 16, passed the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, maintaining the controversial Clause 52(2) as presented amidst protests, especially by members of the minority caucus.

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Justice Abubakar said that the appeal of the former federal pension director seeking to set aside the six years jail term against him was frivolous and devoid of merit.

He further held that victims of the convicted director deserve restitution which can only be achieved through justice.

Yusuf had dragged the Federal Government before the apex court seeking to overturn the six years imprisonment slammed on by the Court of Appeal.

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The former pensions director, who is serving the six years jail term at the Kuje correctional facility, also asked the Supreme Court to set aside a whopping sum of N22.9 billion he was ordered to refund to the government treasury by the Court of Appeal in a 2018 judgment.

He was sent to prison in 2018 by the Court of Appeal in Abuja upon being found guilty of defrauding the Federal Government to the tune of N22.9 billion through police pensions.

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Stakeholders task Nigerian youths on good governance, leadership advocacy

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Dr Odiakpo Obire, the founder of Good leadership for Africa, an Abuja based Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) said the aim of the awards were to encourage African leaders to take their place as leaders among world leaders.
He said the youths of Africa had what it takes to elect the right leaders into offices as this was fundamental to their future and the success of the country.


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Abuja Nov 5, 2021 (NAN) Stakeholders in governance have urged Nigerian youths to be advocates of good governance and leadership in order to make Nigeria a better place.

They gave the advice in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the second global good governance awards and summit held in Abuja on Friday.

The theme for the award is “ Good governance mentality for global impact.

Dr Odiakpo Obire, the founder of Good leadership for Africa, an Abuja based Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) said the aim of the awards were to encourage African leaders to take their place as leaders among world leaders.

He said the youths of Africa had what it takes to elect the right leaders into offices as this was fundamental to their future and the success of the country.

According to him, good governance and leadership are achievable and controllable by the youths.
“ Good governance and leadership make strong institutions.

“ The Africa and Nigeria of our dreams cannot be achieved if youths neglect accountability and advocacy of good leadership’, he said.

Obire stated that everyone appointed into a leadership position could help achieve a great Nigeria if they put the needs of the masses first and do what was expected of them.

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“ From the Federal Government to the local government, to the appointees to the least held office, everyone has the responsibility to do the right thing, ” he said.

He said democracy in Nigeria is over 22 years and youths had to rise to the responsibility of advocating for good leadership and accountability.

“ Good governance starts from selecting good leaders by the youths, ” he said.

Amb. Louis Temisan, Mayorking Ultimate International Magazine said a lot of people, institutions and NGOs are worthy of celebration because they advocate good governance.

“ People, institutions and NGOs who are staff minded, support youth empowerment, community development deserve all the celebration and recognition, ” he said.

According to him, advocating for and publicising good governance will challenge other lacking leaders to do better in their respective communities.

Amb. Anthony Nwangwu disclosed that good governance should be measured by good directions and steps taken by a leader to ensure life was easy for people.

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He said good governance is not measured by the number of cars a leader has or how much cash they throw around.

Nwangwu said good governance affects every facets of life.

NAN reports that about 30 people from the private and public sectors were recipients of different awards.

Some category of these awards include, award of Excellence in Human resource, award of best security outfit and award of best youth empowerment. (NAN)

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