THE Jigawa state Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu has approved the establishment of lawyer desks in 10 police stations as part of a determination to ensure proper protection of suspects’ rights in police custody.
The commissioner of Justice made the disclosure in a speech delivered in one-day training of Police Duty Solicitor Scheme (PDSS) for lawyers held at the ministry of Justice’s conference hall in Dutse the state capital, this is a pilot project.
Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu explained the training was organized by Partner West Africa Nigeria in collaboration with Mac Arthur foundation aimed at building the capacity of the lawyers and police to handle the new project.
According to him, the legal practitioners will work under the legal aid counsel, under which lawyers will be in the police station observing how suspects have been treated in taking their statements and detains if warrant.
Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu added that the aim is to ensure fairness and transparency in investigation and suspects questioning in accordance with human rights.
He noted that the lawyer would give legal assistance to suspects and even to the police in the needs arises, adding that “the legal practitioners and police can intervene and reconcile parties in some civil cases”.
“The new development would reduce the prolonging cases and unnecessary delay of the case in the police stations, which automatically reduce conjunction of suspects in the police cells and canter”, he emphasises.
Speaking earlier the Partner West Africa Nigeria representative Hajiya Aisha said the two organizations organized a day training to 12 legal practitioners both public and private, police solicitors in 10 selected police stations on the new project.
Hajiya Aisha explained that “the new programme would be in Abuja, Jigawa and Kano states”.
According to her “this programme is in line with the provision of FORCE ORDER NO 20 AS AMENDED. that allows lawyers to go any police station to observe and contribute in protecting suspects’ rights.
“The aim and objectives of this training are for capacity building of police in investigation and prosecution of suspects in the court of law. Also to the great synergy between the police and the lawyer familiarise themselves.”
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