Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
The National Youth Service Corps has restated its commitment to strengthening the existing relationship with the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria in providing free legal services to indigent and underprivileged Nigerians through its Corps Lawyers. This was contained in a statement signed by Caroline Embu, Director of Information and Public Relations.
The Director General of NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, disclosed this when he hosted the Director General of the Council, Mr Aliyu Bagudu Abubakar and his team in his office in Abuja.
General Nafiu who commended the administrative prowess of the Legal Aid boss in heading the council for two successive tenures, added that the collaboration between Corps Lawyers and their experienced practising counterparts has instilled confidence in them (the Corps Lawyers) and also enhanced their performances.
Speaking further, he said that at inter-agency level, the partnership forged by the two institutions of the Federal Government is yielding desired results, in the sense that while NYSC supplies qualified manpower to supplement those rendering free legal services across the country, the Legal Aid Council on the other hand gives Corps Lawyers a platform to gain experience in their trade.
He also said that in addition to what the Corps Lawyers were doing,
NYSC remained committed to serving the nation as it has been doing for the past fifty-two years.
While responding to the request by the Legal Aid Council DG, General Nafiu added, “We are committed to strengthening and deepening the existing relationship. We will study your proposal and see how we can use it to the benefit of the larger society. Nigeria is ours; Nigeria we serve. ”
Speaking earlier, the Legal Aid Council boss requested for the posting of more Corps Lawyers to courts within the FCT in order to kickstart its pilot project of attaching Legal Aid group to each court within the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
He said there was the need to beef up the shortage of manpower in the council, especially in its State Offices across the country, whereas, NYSC has enough Corps personnel spread across the country that can assist in providing free legal representation and get justice whenever the need arises.
Mr Aliyu also disclosed that the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, which was established in 1976 to offer free legal representation to indigent Nigerians, had its mandate expanded in year 2011 to cover wide areas of human endeavors.
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