,,,,The success story of PDCRC.
By Dawud Ahmed.
Certainly, if there is any date, residents of kogi state, north central Nigeria, especially the disadvantaged, vulnerable and indigents will not forget in a hurry, it is June 3, 2019.
The date marked the creation of Kogi State Office of the Public Defender and Citizens’ Rights Commission,PDCRC, a development described by legal experts as a watershed in the conscious effort by the state government to expand the space of administration of justice and bring justice to the above mentioned segment of the population of the state through free legal services.
Before the birth of the commission, experience showed that many indigents and others have had cause to languish in cells due to their financial incapacitation to hire the service of lawyers to represent them in court to seek justice.
Barr.Musa Idris Onogo.
Acting Director General,PDCRC.
Worried by the negative development confronting residents concerned,state government did not mince words in establishing all this important commission to change the narrative, with a strong mission statement:
“Provision of proficient free legal service for indigents, disadvantaged and vulnerable residents of kogi state in accessing justice and protection of their fundamental human rights.”
The date also shows a new horizon of delight in the administration of justice,aimed at bringing justice to the door step of the poor in the state without cause for any financial implementation.
In doing this, the state government says it envisions a state where the indigent, disadvantaged and vulnerable will be assisted to have unfettered access to justice and ensure the protection of their fundamental human rights.
Therefore ,as an agency of the state government,PDCRC has the mandate to render free legal aid and other related services, including legal representation in criminal and civil cases to its target residents.
The function of the commission also includes,receiving complaints directly from individuals or by referral government agencies, public instructions and private instructions in the state and do the needful in the interest of Justice to those it is meant to serve.
PDCRC is also charged with the statutory responsibility of investigating complaints or referral cases, made to it in collaboration with relevant law enforcement agencies and to resolve matters brought before it by way of alternative dispute resolution, ARD,among others methods.
The commission is also saddled, at the state level, with the responsibility of ensuring the promotion and protection of human rights and implementation of the Kogi State Violence Against Persons(VAPP) Law of 2022 all geared towards bringing justice to the poor.
Legal practitioners view the birth of the commission as marking a turning point in the desire of the poor to get justice in law court, without tears.
Therefore,six years into the execution of its vision, mission and functions,the question being asked discerning minds in the state is to know how far has PDCRC been able to carry out its activities and realising its dream in consonance with the philosophy behind its establishment.
Barr.Musa Idris Onogo,the Acting Director General, Kogi State Office of the Public Defender and Citizens’Rights Commission,PDCRC,says he has answer to the question , asserting that the commission has every cause to justify its establishment.
According to him, the commission has so far provided proficient and free legal services to over 200 indigents, disadvantaged and vulnerable residents of the state since its establishment.
These services,he added, include legal representation in criminal and civil cases.
The Acting Director General, who, took over the mantle of leadership of the commission on February 8,2024 , disclosed that the figure include 15 cases being executed under his leadership, adding that more of such cases are pending in various courts in the state.
He identified domestic issues, such as family abandonment,disputes over denial of child paternity,drug related issues among youths and protection of fundamental human rights as the common cases being handled by 12 lawyers working with the commission,free of charge.
The acting director general disclosed that the commission planned to open offices in the three senatorial districts of the state to make its services closer to the residents at the grassroots and to enhance its alternative dispute resolution,ADR, to boost effective service delivery.
Barr.Onogo, who said that the idea of opening the commission’s offices in the zonal area was provided for under the PDCRC law,advised indigent members of the public and the likes with legal issues and want free legal services to contact the commission.
“They should use the following phone number of mine;08037044922,” phone he urged.
In what has been described as practical demonstration of its statutory responsibility to the indigents and their likes,PDCRC recently brought to amicable end, the controversy over the custody of an 8-year old boy, Master Solomon Audu and returned him to his mother,Mrs Joy Audu’s custody.
Mrs. Audu is a widow and a primary school teacher in Dekina Local Government Area of kogi state. Sources revealed that she lost her husband sometime in 2023 but contrary to her wish, Solomon was taken away from her by one of the brothers to her late husband.
Worried by the course of event, she felt that her fundamental human rights to the custody of her child has been denied and approached the commission, seeking redress.
Through the process of alternative dispute resolution ARD,the commission was able to resolve the case and justice served to the right party.
The Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary, State Ministry of Justice, Hajia Falitat Yusuf, witnessed the handing over of the boy to his mother at the office of the commission,State Secretariat,Lokoja.
At the short but epoch-making event, Hajia Falitat expressed delight that at last, Mrs.Joy Audu and her late husband’s brother, Peter Audu, were able to resolve the case with ease amicably,facilitated by the commission.
Hajia Yusuf urged the two parties to maintain peace and see themselves as one family with the aim of helping the family to grow in peace and harmony.
Hajia Falitat,who also counselled,Mrs.Audu to respect the integrity and sensibility of members of her late husband’s family, pleaded with her late husband’s family to see her and her children as part of them and assist them morally and financially.
Recalling the incident at the occasion, the Acting Director General,PDCRC,Barr.Musa Idris Onogo, said the commission resolved the controversy surrounding the custody of Master Solomon through alternative dispute resolution,ARD.
According to him,it was Mrs.Audu who reported the case to commission,that her son was missing but that upon investigation, the commission discovered that the boy was not missing but taken away from her by his Solomon’s uncle, to assist the family.
Barr. Onogo said the uncle, upon enquiry, told the commission that before Solomon’s father died,the now deceae told him to take care of his wife and children, after he must have passed on.
Quoting Solomon’s uncle, Barr.Onogo said based on the agreement Peter had with his late brother, he took Solomon’s custody and left the other child with the mother,to lessen the financial burden on Mrs.Audu sequel to her husband’s death.
The PDCRC boss said,”At the end of the day,we discovered that the boy is just 8 years and as such, would like to stay with his mother.
“We, therefore,instructed his uncle to bring him to the commission and be handed over to his mother.”
The PDCRC boss argued that, even if it is a culture in certain society that children must stay with their father or father’s relations, irrespective of age,the commission would not allow not allow that to be a norm and won’t allow that way of life to see the light of the day.
He said that such way of life negates natural justice and run contrary to the concept of dynamic nature of the society.
Barr.Onogo, nonetheless,filled a sense of pride that the commission was able to resolve the contending legal issue successfully and master Solomon now in the custody of his mother.
He described the outcome of the custody of Solomon as a land mark achievement the commission had recorded in the course of actualizing its aims and objectives.
The commission’s boss called on the indigents, vulnerable and disadvantaged residents in the state to see the services of the common as a great opportunity for them to seek justice, assuring them that the services of the commission are free and enable them to have unfettered access to justice and at no cost to them.
“The Indigents, disadvantaged and vulnerable seeking justice should contact the commission at room 012-016,Ground Floor,New State Secretariat Complex or call telephone number 09164890877,” he advised.
All said and done, it is instructive to note that in Kogi State, the poor has unfettered access to justice through PRCRC without spending a dime as assured by Barr.Onogo, the acting director general.
Therefore, the ball is now in the court of those the Kogi State Office of the Public Defender and Citizens’ Rights Commission, PDCRC,is established to serve and get justice, unfettered free and invariably with ease.
Dawud Ahmed publishes The Reporters.
