MAIDUGURI – Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has pledged his administration’s commitment to ensuring citizens, particularly victims of the Boko Haram insurgency, have robust access to justice.
The Governor made the assurance on Monday during a meeting with the Director-General of the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, Barrister Aliyu Bagudu Abubakar, and his management team at the Government House in Maiduguri.
Governor Zulum emphasized the critical need for legal representation for the state’s most vulnerable populations and directed state officials to collaborate closely with the federal council.
“Let me assure you that our people will not be left behind in access to justice, especially the teeming vulnerable people who are victims of Boko Haram insurgency,” Zulum stated.
He issued a directive for a harmonized legal aid framework, instructing that “the office of the Attorney General should work closely with your office to come up with a plan on how to harmonize the Office of Public Defenders and that of Citizens Rights Department already existing in the state for the benefit of our people.”
While acknowledging the state’s limited resources, the Governor urged the Council to submit a formal request for support, promising that “we shall look into your demands and see how we can address some of them.”
In his remarks, the Legal Aid Council’s Director-General, Barrister Aliyu Bagudu Abubakar, detailed the council’s extensive work in the state, providing crucial legal services to insurgency victims and displaced persons. He reported that from 2021 to 2023, the council successfully handled over 2,500 cases, including criminal defence, civil matters like property disputes, family law, and gender-based violence, as well as mediation.
To enhance this work, Barrister Abubakar requested operational vehicles, an annual subvention, and office furniture and equipment from the state government.
The high-level meeting was attended by the Deputy Governor, Hon. Umar Usman Kadafur; the Senator representing Borno Central, Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan SAN; the Acting Chief of Staff, Dr. Babagana Malumbe; other members of the State Executive Council, and Special Advisers.
