The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has established Legal Support Services Teams across the country to offer free legal services to protesters whose fundamental rights may be breached during the nationwide protests that started Thursday.
President of the NBA Yakubu Maikyau (SAN) directed all chairpersons of the 130 branches of the association to ensure that their respective human rights committees take up observed or reported cases of breach of fundamental right (s) of any citizen, harassment, intimidation or torture perpetrated by law enforcement agents, the protesters or other identified members of the public in the course of the protest.
Chairpersons of the NBA branches have also been directed to set up situation monitoring committees to monitor and report activities and interactions between law enforcement agents and protesters.
The NBA has also set up an online monitoring form to be filled out by persons whose rights are breached.
Members of the monitoring committees and other members of the NBA engaged in the monitoring exercise are encouraged to complete the form and submit same for the NBA’s record and further action where necessary.
To ensure effective coordination of this exercise, the NBA’s Legal Support Services Teams across the country will be headed by the 1st Vice President of the association, Mrs. Linda Rose Bala; the Chairman of NBA-SPIDEL, Sir Steve Adehi, SAN; and the Chairman, NBA Human Rights Institute; Mr. Chinonye Obiagwu, SAN.
The NBA President has also written to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun to collaborate with the NBA in this regard.
The NBA further encouraged citizens, including members of the NBA who are joining the protest to exercise their rights peacefully and within the bounds of the law just as it urged security agencies to be professional and observe human rights in their duty to enforce the law.
