Stakeholders Call for Repositioning of Police Solicitors Scheme

With over 54,000 awaiting trial inmates population across the country, stakeholders have called for the repositioning of the Police Duty Solicitor Scheme (PDSS) for effective access to justice.

Although the Scheme had already been piloted in Anambra, Edo, FCT and Lagos, authorities revealed that it would soon be launched nationwide.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja at the weekend to commemorate the International Human Rights Day, experts called for renewed understanding among police officers on how the PDSS supports the police from investigation to court appearance.

Those, who spoke at the event, include the former Inspector General of Police and Chairman, Police Service Commission, Solomon Arase; Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice,, Lateef Fagbemi SAN; Director General, Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, Aliyu Abubakar; Project Manager, Criminal Justice Reform, Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC Phase II) Programme, Dr Oluwatoyin Badejogbin, among others.

According to data obtained from the website of the Nigerian Correctional Service on December 4, a total of 54,686 inmates are awaiting trial across the country.

This represents 69 per cent of the total 79,451 inmate population.

In his remarks, the Director General, Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, Aliyu Abubakar, highlighted the benefits of the Scheme to include: fostering community policing and strengthening service delivery by the police; increase protection and promotion of the legal and human rights of suspects and detainees; improve accountability and transparency in the police force.