AGF Fagbemi Launches Reforms for Legal Aid Council

On Wednesday in Abuja, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, clarified that the ongoing reforms in Nigeria's judiciary are designed to enhance access to justice for poor and indigent citizens, in accordance with the 1999 Constitution. During the inauguration of the Governing Board of the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, chaired by Honourable Justice Sulyman Durosinlohun Kawu, Fagbemi emphasized the importance of these reforms in creating a more efficient, transparent, and accountable legal system.

He tasked the Board with developing strategies to alleviate congestion in detention facilities, expedite court processes, and protect fundamental human rights. Fagbemi expressed confidence in Kawu's leadership and the Board's ability to provide strategic vision and oversight as mandated by the Legal Aid Act.

He underscored the Council's role in ensuring that economic disparities do not impede access to justice, urging the Board to implement operational mechanisms like the Police Duty Solicitors Scheme and the Court Duty Solicitors Scheme.