Gwagwalada residents enlightened on administration of criminal justice

A non-governmental organisation, Partners West Africa Nigeria (PWAN) has enlightened some Gwagwalada residents on the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) to expose them to their rights and how to defend them. The organisation’s Programme Officer, Ojeshina Tolu, said the police did not have the right to torture suspects during an arrest or the right […]

A non-governmental organisation, Partners West Africa Nigeria (PWAN) has enlightened some Gwagwalada residents on the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) to expose them to their rights and how to defend them.

The organisation’s Programme Officer, Ojeshina Tolu, said the police did not have the right to torture suspects during an arrest or the right to arrest family members of a suspect that escaped arrest.

She explained that anyone arrested should be taken to court as soon as possible for trial.

The group was in partnership with Network of University Legal Aid Institutions (NULAI) and the Law Clinic to provide lawyers who will offer pro bono services for people in court who do not have money.

She said the partnership with NULAI was also to decongest Kuje prison.

The coordinator, University of Abuja Law Clinic, Barr. Nasiru Mukhtar, said they come in handy because NULAI did not have enough staff that could provide pro-bono services.

While appreciating the enlightenment programme, one of the youth leaders in Gwagwalada, Haruna Bello, said if he had the funds, he would have sponsored the programme in the rural areas so that the people could learn how to protect their rights against the police and the society.

He said the programme exposed him to a lot of ways he could protect his rights when confronted by the police.