Damilola Odunukan
Executive Director of a not-for-profit organisation, Rights Enforcement and Public Law Centre, REPLACE, Ms Felicitas Aigbogun-Brai, on Monday, 16th of December 2024, along with her team members, stormed IPONRI Market, Surulere Local Government Area, Lagos State, discussing the significant of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) and the key provisions which protect and promote the rights of women.
According to Aigbogun-Bra, the awareness campaign is earmarked for three days, with the first taking place at Mile12 on Saturday 14th December 2024.
The current visit to Iponri Market is the second movement, while the third will be at Ajah Market.
She further explained that the exercise is to create awareness at marketplaces on, not just human rights, but primarily women’s rights as enshrined in the ACJL.
She stated picking marketplaces was deliberate because women at the grassroots level lack the basic information about their rights to Stand As Surety for any of their family members at the law enforcement agency’s office.
For long, Nigerian women have been denied the right to stand as “surety” for their family members, thereby further denying their loved ones bail.
While introducing the activities of REPLACE and its impact on fighting for the rights of Nigerians, Aigbogun-Brai added that the organisation does not only create awareness but also renders legal and humanitarian services pro bono to victims of gender-based violence.
She added: “We have a network of lawyers, that provide free legal services at the Police Station, not in the court. So, if you call us, we will be able to link you with one or two persons who can assist you without demanding money if you cannot afford your lawyer.
“We also want you all to know that irrespective of the gravity of an offender’s crime or allegations against such a person, they have the right to a defence counsel or lawyer. Our organization is available and willing and available to offer legal services.
“People or victims who have suffered police or legal advisor extortion are equally can also fight for their rights so that such lawyers or police can be reported to the right authorities for misconduct.
“There is a Public Complaints Response Unit and we have visited them over time, we will help people to put petitions before a particular unit of the Police Force, which is looking at instances of abuse or allegations against Police Officers.”
For the inclusion of persons with disabilities (PWDs), Aigbogun-Brai disclosed that REPLACE has partnered with PWDs. She recounted the inclusion of PWDs became vital following an encounter the organization had with a PWD during an awareness campaign at Ikeja.
The PWD was oblivious to the rights of people with disabilities.
REPLACE thereafter reached out to the agency overseeing the welfare of PWDs at the Lagos State Government Secretariat, the Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA) to partner with their members to stop the discrimination against persons with disabilities.
REPLACE provided a booklet containing the rights of people to bail in a more simplified version in standard English language and the Pidgin.
The traders, expressing their gratitude for the visit of REPLACE to teach them how to exercise women’s embedded in the ACJL shared some of their nasty experiences with the team.
One of the traders, Mrs Omotayo Ojulari, a victim of domestic violence, narrated how her estranged husband assaulted her older sibling due to a misunderstanding.
Ojulari explained that her estranged husband, who is still at large, attacked her older sibling who went to visit him for reconciliation purposes.
Another woman, Lara Arije, recalled how she was detained at the Iponri Police Station for five days without access to a lawyer or any of her family members.
Arije said that the complainants – one Mr Ajibola and one Mr Fayoda reported her to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), named Matilda. She alleged that the DPO locked her up for five days.
Arije disclosed that the complainants recorded her voice in a tape, where she said, “If you’re going to kill me, I’ll kill you” and reported the case to the Iponri Police Station.
Arije added that the complainants made a false allegation of assault against her and then reached out to her uncle, who is a policeman, identified as ACP Segun Odunlami.
Arije said that charged her with assault, accusing them of smashing a bottle to hit the complainants. Arije said the complainants both lied against her, and the police did not investigate to verify the allegation.
Rather, the police locked her up for five days without allowing her access to a lawyer; this action of the police contravened the provisions in the ACJL, which Arije if she knows her rights as a woman, ought to have sought legal redress.
