FG Inaugurates Legal Aid Council Board

Attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has inaugurated the Governing Board of the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria.

The minister who also tasked the newly appointed board members to perform their statutory responsibilities with diligence and patriotism, also called on them to provide policy direction and make Regulations for the Council as stipulated in Sections 2, 3 and 23 of the Legal Aid Act 2011.

He admonished them to acquaint themselves with the Council’s enabling Act for effective performance and urged them to show exemplary leadership for the period of three years that is stipulated for them to serve.

While listing some of the recent achievements of the Council to include the effective implementation and expansion of the Police Duty Solicitors Scheme (PDSS) by adding some new states like Niger and Bauchi to the earlier pilot states, special visits to Correctional Centres nationwide resulting to the release of 101 inmates from the Kirikiri Maximum Correctional Centre who had been awaiting trial in the past 10 years. He also noted that about 2000 inmates nationwide have benefited from the Council’s Jail delivery intervention and praised the Council for ensuring the Certification of Curriculum for Paralegal Studies in Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria.

The newly appointed Governing Board Members of the Legal Aid Council are: “Siraj Saeeda, SAN, (Chairman), Mrs Roseline Tasha, Barr. C.U. Ogar, DCP Simon Lough, SAN, Barr. Audu Karimu, Oluseun Mobolaji Abimbola, SAN, FCIArb, Sammie Abiye Somiari, SAN, MCIArb (UK), Hussain Zakariya SAN, Adeshina Adegbite FICMC, Comrade M. Adamu, Ms. Rhoda P. Tyoden (FIDA Ex-Officio), Sulaiman Usman, SAN, Oluwole Iyamu SAN, Haj. Amina Hanga, Mr. Idumu O. Idumu.