By Francesca Hangeior

Human Rights Lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has commended the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mazi Afam Osigwe SAN, for establishing a Citizens Liberties Committee.

The senior lawyer in a statement he personally signed on Saturday stated that the development was a right step in the right direction hence members will ensure that the rights of suspects and convicts guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution, the Police Establishment Act, and the Nigerian Correctional Services Act are respected.

He also called on the Citizens Liberties Committee to link up with the Human Rights Committees of the 128 branches of the Nigerian Bar Association and other human rights organisations in the country with a view to working together to enforce the comprehensive rights of suspects and end the illegal arrest and detention of innocent persons in the country.

The statement read: “Since the Administration of Criminal Justice Act was enacted in May 2015, I have repeatedly called on the leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association to invoke the provisions of the Act to end illegal arrest and detention of the Nigerian people.

“I have also called on NBA leaders to ensure that the rights of suspects and convicts guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution, the Police Establishment Act, and the Nigerian Correctional Services Act are respected.

“Regrettably, such calls fell on the deaf ears of the leaders of the Nigerian Bar Association in the recent past. Hence, the illegal arrest and detention of innocent citizens has continued unabated. Even a lawyer, Pius Iwoke was recently released from the illegal custody of the State Security Service after he had been detained for 3 years without trial. Iwoke would not have been subjected to such harrowing experience if the detention facilities of the State Security Service had been inspected by a Judge on a monthly basis in accordance with the provisions of section 34 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act and section 70 of the Police Establishment Act.

“Therefore, the newly elected President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mazi Afam Osigwe SAN, deserves commendation for establishing a Citizens Liberties Committee, which has been charged with the responsibility to carry out the following functions:

“To collaborate with the NBA branches to liaise with the Chief Judges of the States and the FCT to ensure that all Police stations and other detention facilities in each State of the Federation and the FCT are visited and inspected by Magistrates and Judges once a month, in accordance with the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act/Law.

“To direct the Human Rights Committee of each branch of the NBA to accompany Chief Magistrates and Judges to conduct monthly inspections of all Police Stations and other detention facilities in Nigeria, in accordance with the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act/Law.

“To encourage citizens to participate in the monitoring and inspections of Police Stations and other detention facilities by Magistrates and Judges and to report through the Human Rights Committee of Branches.

“I am confident that the Citizens Liberties Committee will succeed in its assignment as its members are largely drawn from the nation’s human rights community”.