AGENE GODWIN, Benin
Irked by what he called the abuse of rights of innocent Nigerians by security operatives, the Executive Director, African Network for Environmental and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), Rev. David Ugolor, Wednesday, called on the Edo State government to establish a Public Defenders Agency.
Ugolor who raised alarm over the increasing cases of extra-judicial killings in the state and across the country called on security agents and other relevant authorities to put machinery in place to forestall human rights violation with a view to protecting the rights of citizens.
Rev. David ugolor also harped on the need for the state governor, Adams Oshiomhole, to fulfil his promise to the people in 2012 and set up a Public Defender Unit to provide free legal aid to victims of human rights abuses adding also that the state government should as a matter of urgency speed up the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, with a view to ensuring the domestication of the Act in Edo, which according to him, has been put in place by the federal Government, to improve the administration of criminal justice system.
He made the call yesterday at a rally organized by ANEEJ, and other Civil Societies groups in Benin city, where he said, “we are using this opportunity to call on Edo state Government to domesticate the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 in Edo state to improve administration of criminal justice system in the state. This is hottest law in the country right now and repealed the criminal
Procedure Act and the Criminal Procedure Code as applicable in all federal courts and courts in the FCT.”
Ugolor while lamenting the rising cases of human rights violations ranging from extra-judicial killings, unlawful arrest noted that the list is endless added that, ” This year alone several person’s lives have been cut shot and the people are yet to get justice. This is why ANEEJ has taken advantage of the opportunity provided by Bread for the world, to work with other civil society groups in Edo State, to organize a peaceful rally to call for an end to human rights violations and also educate the people on basic fundamental human rights which the constitution of the country guarantees them.”
He said the sad story is that a lot of persons do not even know their rights which makes it easy for those who are lawless to trample on such rights and go away unchallenged adding that, “if you visit our prisons, many persons are languishing there for crimes they know nothing about and are also unable to get justice after many years with some spending up to 10 years or more.”
Ugolor noted that victims of human rights violations ranging from extra-judicial killings, unlawful arrest, detention and oppression of the weak and marginalized in the society who often times do not have highly placed persons to fight for them and may not also have the resources to engage the services of legal practitioners.”Recently, we heard of a young man who used to work for a prominent hotel in Benin City.
He was alleged to have stolen some money from his place of work and was arrested by the Police. Shortly after, we heard that the young man was dead.”
