Hardship: NBA sets up pro bono services for protesters

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has set up pro bono legal support services for protesters in the ongoing hunger protests across the country.

A statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the association, Akorede Habeeb Lawal on Thursday said, the NBA President, Yakubu Maikyau, SAN has directed the 130 branches of the association across the country to take up observed or reported cases of breach of fundamental right (s) of any citizen, harassment, intimidation or torture perpetrated by law enforcement agents, the protesters or other identified members of the public in the course of the protest.

The statement said, Maikyau has directed, all, “the chairmen/chairpersons of NBA to set up Situation Monitoring Committees (SMC) to monitor and report activities and interactions between law enforcement agents and protesters.”

This, the statement said, is in recognition of the fundamental and guaranteed constitutional rights of citizens to assemble and protest.

To this end, the statement said, “an online monitoring form has been provided by the NBA and can be accessed from the link https://rb.gy/q5xqg7 and urged members of the SMC and other members of the NBA engaged in the monitoring exercise to complete the form and submit same for NBA’s record and further action where necessary.

To ensure an effective coordination of this endeavour, the NBA has established Legal Support Services Teams across the country headed by the 1st Vice President of the NBA, Mrs. Linda Rose Bala; the Chairman NBA-SPIDEL, Sir Steve Adehi, SAN; and the Chairman, NBA Human Rights Institute; Mr. Chinonye Obiagwu, SAN.

“The NBA President has also written to the Inspector General of Police to collaborate with the NBA in this regard.

“As the protest commences today, 1 August 2024, the NBA wishes to encourage citizens, including members of the NBA who are joining the protest to exercise their right peacefully and within the bounds of the law,” and urged security agencies to be professional and observe human rights in their duty to enforce the law.

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