Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has begun efforts to ensure that Nigerians detained in police stations across the country receive prompt legal assistance and that their families are quickly informed of their whereabouts.
Speaking at a recent event in Kano, Falana revealed that he has initiated discussions with the Attorney General of the Federation to establish legal aid desks in all police stations across the country.
The announcement was made during the Capacity Building and Workshop on Training of Prosecutors on the Effective Administration of Criminal Justice, which was organised by Kurwa Hussaini in collaboration with the State Ministry of Justice.
Falana expressed his concerns about the widespread ignorance that leads to the suffering of ordinary Nigerians in police stations. He pointed out that when a person is arrested and taken to a police station, the police are legally obligated to inform the individual’s family, preventing them from worrying that their loved one may have been abducted. He stressed the importance of ensuring that families are notified without unnecessary delays.
Falana said:
“If a Nigerian is arrested and taken to the police station, it is the duty of the police under the law to contact the family so they are aware of the whereabouts of their loved one. Unfortunately, many Nigerians remain in detention for days or even weeks without their families being informed. This is no longer permissible under the law. If a detainee has no lawyer, they have the right to demand legal representation, and the police must contact the Legal Aid Council to provide one.”
Falana also emphasised that the need for legal representation begins at the police station.
He explained that Nigerians are entitled to legal aid from the moment they are detained, and this should continue through to their trial.
“The rich can afford lawyers to defend them, but for the poor, there is no one to speak for them unless they take advantage of the provisions made by the government for legal aid,” Falana remarked.
He encouraged poor Nigerians to make use of legal resources available to them and not to suffer in silence.
In his address, Falana praised the Kano State government for its proactive approach in adopting the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) in 2019, making it a trailblazer in criminal justice reform.
According to Falana, Kano has led the way in the application of the ACJA and is the first state to abolish the prosecution of criminal cases by police officers. Instead, all criminal cases in Kano are now prosecuted by legal practitioners.
Falana called for the establishment of public defender offices in all 44 local governments in Kano, ensuring that the poor have access to justice at the grassroots level. He also highlighted the need to improve the training, equipment, and working conditions of prosecutors to help them carry out their duties effectively.
“For many Nigerians, filing a complaint at a police station can be problematic due to the financial demands of police officers for investigations. The government needs to empower the office of the public defender to help the poor who cannot afford to pay for legal representation,” Falana added.
The Senior Advocate also urged for the expansion of the Legal Aid Council and the establishment of public defender offices at the local government level to ensure that every Nigerian has equal access to justice, regardless of their financial status.
