Group Secures Release of 12 Inmates Under Release and Employ Programme 

Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan 

A group of young lawyers committed to providing pro bono legal services and representation to vulnerable, indigent and marginalized people and communities, has facilitated the release of 12 inmates who have the option of fine but could not afford to pay under its Release and Employ programme.  

The group, in a release on Wednesday by its Founder, Ekpa Stanley Ekpa, said the programme was designed to secure the release, train, rehabilitate, reintegrate, gainfully engage and employ the beneficiaries in different sectors of the economy. 

He disclosed that in April, the group received a total of 30 human rights abuse complaints via the Call A Lawyer system, stating that 20 cases were resolved mostly through out-of-court settlements. 

Ekpa noted that out of the 30 complaints, 17 were related to domestic violence, two employment complaints, while the rest were police abuse-related cases. 

He maintained that the group is out to advance and promote inclusive and efficient justice system for everyone in Nigeria, adding that it would ensure that every resident in Nigeria have access to legal representation no matter their social and financial status. 

According to him, “It is not enough to seek the release of inmates without providing windows of opportunities to productively engage and reintegrate them back into the society, hence, Call A Lawyer seeks to partner with stakeholders like the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, National Directorate of Employment, National Human Rights Commission, Legal Aid Council, Public Complaints Commission, and other relevant stakeholders within the employment ecosystem in Nigeria.

“To achieve its goal of providing legal representation and services to vulnerable Nigerians who cannot afford legal representation within rural communities of the 774 local governments areas in Nigeria, Call A Lawyer recognizes the need for collaborative action and commitment to human rights protection in Nigeria, by partnering with the Nigerian Police Force, the Nigerian Bar Bar Association (NBA), particularly the Young Lawyers Forum, International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), National Human Rights Commission, Legal Aid Council, among other stakeholders within the human rights community.”