Police Brutality: NBA President Visits Lagos State Governor, Commissioner Of Police And Attorney General
The President of the Nigerian Bar Association, YC Maikyau OON, SAN on the 6th of January 2023, led a delegation of officials on a visit to the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwoolu.
The delegation comprised the General Secretary, Adesina Adegbite, the Welfare Secretary, Chinyere Obasi, the National Assistant Publicity Secretary, Charles Ajiboye, the Chairman of Eti-Osa Lawyers Forum, Chairman of Ikeja Branch, Mr. Seyi Olawumi, Mr Nasir Salau of Lagos Branch, the Chairman of Etiosa lawyers forum M. M Sanni, Alhaji Salman Salman among others.
Appreciations were extended to the Lagos State Governor, thanking him for his role in the Bolanle Raheem’s Case, in ensuring the cause of justice was sought and charged him to do more for the people of the state.
The NBA President also thanked the Governor for intervening in the Justice Taiwo gratuity saga, where the former judicial officer’s entitlement was withheld for months.
Also in attendance at the meeting were the Secretary to the Lagos State Government, Head of Civil Service, The Attorney General Of Lagos State as well as the Commissioner for Youths, and Commissioner for Women and Poverty Alleviation.
The meeting ended with the NBA President, further encouraging the governor to continue in the proper dispensation of justice, setting the standards for other states to follow on how government can show value for the lives and affairs of its citizens.
Also the NBA President, Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau OON, SAN, in the company of the NBA General Secretary, Adesina Adegbite, Welfare Secretary, Chinyere Obasi and National Assistant Publicity Secretary Charles Ajiboye and senior members of the Bar visited the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, and the State’s Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General respectively over police brutality.
The separate meetings are part of the many engagements which the NBA has undertaken in response to the recent killings of a legal practitioner, Mrs Bolanle Raheem and Mr Gafaru Buraimoh, both around the Ajah area of Lagos State.
The NBA President expressed deep pain over the unfortunate incidents and particularly demanded that the perpetrators must be brought to book.
The President commended the Police Force under the command of the Commissioner of Police, and the Lagos State Government for their swift intervention and for the efforts taken so far in ensuring justice of the two cases.
In his meeting with the Honourable Attorney General of Lagos State and the Ministry of Justice, Maikyau used the medium to appreciate the support enjoyed so far by the present leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association.
The Honourable Attorney General in his response described the visit by the President as humane and free of any form of the jamboree. He thanked the President for showcasing good leadership and noted that he was the first NBA President to visit the Ministry of Justice after an election.
He assured the President and his delegation that the government is committed to prosecuting the matters fairly and expeditiously. And that all available resources would be deployed to ensure that justice is done. He also noted that the Ministry of Justice is working with the police to ensure that all that is required is done expeditiously.
Present at the meeting was the Solicitor General of Lagos State and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice together with other Directors in the Ministry.
At the meeting with the Commissioner of Police, he assured the NBA delegation that he is committed to ensuring that there is an end to extra-judicial killings in the state. He also mentioned that technical training in line with global best practices is being organized from time to time for police officers in the Lagos command.
The Police Chief expressed his satisfaction that people who are supposed to show concern over the matters have already shown concern and he pointed out that the police authority believes that reward and punishment must go hand in hand.
He expressed his gratitude to the Nigerian Bar Association and her leadership for properly engaging with the police and for allowing them a free hand to decisively deal with the matters. He then assured the delegation that the police even at the highest authorities are committed to ensuring that justice prevails in the two cases.
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