Legal Aid Council Of Nigeria Embarks On Free Legal Clinic In Lagos

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

Hundreds of indigent persons have so far benefited from the outreach of Legal Council of Nigeria, which recently commenced sensitization and free legal clinic in Lagos State.

P.M.EXPESS reports that so many people especially widows, elderly women and the physically challenged persons in Oshodi, Mushin, Ijegun and other places have benefited since the programme started across the State.

The leader of the team, Barrister (Mrs.) Marian Njoku, while speaking to the women at Ijegun area said Legal Aid, a creation of Federal Government, comprises Lawyers who offer free legal services to the people who cannot afford bills from Lawyers to pursue their rights in the society.

She said the Council was established to maintain a service to be known as the Civil Litigation Service for the purpose of assisting indigent persons to access such advice, assistance, and representation in court where the interest of justice demands, to secure, defend, enforce, protect or otherwise exercise any right.

She noted that some people have suffered intimidation and their rights abused because they do not have the means to fight for their rights and so they remain in agony and pains in their lives hence the Federal government found it necessary to support such people through legal Aids.

Bar. Njoku also told the women to speak up if there are abuses in their homes and area on crimes such as rape and other vices in their and educated them on the steps to take on rape victims.

She told them where there is incident of rape, they should not allow the victim to clean up because that will be the evidence that will be used to punish the perpetrator and they should go to the Police and report the matter, who will arrest the suspect for prosecution for justice. She discouraged women not to collect any form of settlement as compensation because it will not be in the interest of the victim and society and on the issue stigma, she said the matter can be handled in private at the Court once such request was made.

“If you collect money and leave the suspect, he will go back and commit the same crime in the society causing pains to the victims” Njoku said.

Another speaker, Barrister (Mrs.) Kokei E. Ogbonaya, said rape is not limited to under aged victims, stressing adults can also be raped as in the case of 85-year old woman that was raped by her 65-year old step son in Ogun State.She emphasized justice can be done if the victims contact the right people to pursue it and stated that it is one of the the obligations of Legal Aids.

Barrister (Mrs.) Adaora Ochibiri spoke on the right of complainant at the Police Station and urged the women that they have right to contact their lawyer first before making statement at the station and it is their right to demand from Investigation Police Officer, IPO, to contact their family when there is any matter at the Station.

The climax of the programme was legal clinic, where the team commenced legal advice on the participants.