THE Lagos State Office of the Public Defender (OPD) has opened new outlets at Alimosho and Agege LGAs, respectively, where legal services will be provided to defenceless citizens of the state.
According to media reports, to commemorate the event, the agency held an awareness campaign from Agege Local Government to the Alimosho Local Government, where a legal clinic was conducted to sensitise the residents of the two councils and also help them resolve pressing legal issues.
Director, Lagos State Office of the Public Defender, Olubunmi Adesomoju, stated that the agency’s mandate is to provide free legal services to indigents of Lagos State and hence the need to move closer to the grassroots.
According to Adesomoju, the need to reach people, especially those who are vulnerable such as people with disabilities, women, and children in the suburbs that are not close to the cities in the state, necessitates the decision to bring OPD to Alimosho.
She said, “The projection is to reach more people; Alimosho is densely populated, all the way to Egbeda, Idimu, and Ikotun. There are people in these areas that need to feel the services of the Lagos State Government in respect of legal representation. A lot of them have cases in court, some have friends and family members who have been arrested with nobody to assist them, and some have children who have been abused. They just need someone to tell them what to do.
“Some people get arrested but have not been taken to court; they are detained while the police torture them, we get the persons out of custody. Also, if your fundamental rights have been breached in any way, come to us."
The elated participants proceeded to table their issues at the legal clinic, which commenced immediately after the sensitisation. The complaints ranged from landlord and tenancy breach of agreements to bail issues.
THE NATION
