The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has initiated free legal support services to address potential human rights violations arising from the ongoing hunger protest. In a statement released on Thursday by NBA National Publicity Secretary Akorede Lawal, NBA President Yakubu Maikyau announced that directives have been sent to all chairpersons of the association’s 130 branches to handle cases involving breaches of fundamental human rights of protest participants.
Maikyau urged law enforcement officers to act professionally and respect human rights while advising protesters to remain peaceful. To oversee the interactions between law enforcement agents and protesters, the NBA has established a situation monitoring committee.
The statement read: “The President of the Nigerian Bar Association Mr. Yakubu Maikyau, on July 31, 2024, directed all the Chairmen/Chairpersons of the 130 branches of the NBA to ensure that their respective human rights committees address observed or reported cases of fundamental rights breaches, harassment, intimidation, or torture by law enforcement agents, protesters, or other individuals during the protest.”
Additionally, branch chairpersons have been instructed to form Situation Monitoring Committees (SMC) to monitor and report on activities and interactions between law enforcement and protesters. An online monitoring form is available at https://rb.gy/q5xqg7.