A civil society organization, Centre for Human Rights Advocacy and Wholesome Society, (CEHRAWS), on Thursday reiterates its call for the immediate operationalization of the Police Duty Solicitors Scheme, (PDSS), across all police formations in Abia State, in accordance with the provisions of Police Force Order No. 20 and the Administration of Criminal Justice Law, 2017 (ACJL).
In a press statement made available to DECENCY GLOBAL NEWS and signed by CEHRAWS Executive Director, Okoye Chuka Peter, the group wants the Governor of Abia State to issue an Executive Directive mandating the Ministry of Justice to coordinate with the Nigeria Police Force for the full implementation of the PDSS across the state, among other recommendations.
It would be recalled that in October 2023, CEHRAWS formally transmitted a detailed letter, annexing the said Police Force Order No. 20, to the Executive Governor of Abia State and the Honourable Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, respectively. That correspondence articulated grave concerns regarding ongoing violations of suspects’ constitutional rights, including arbitrary arrests, prolonged pre-trial detention, and the absence of legal representation during the critical stage of police interrogation. Till date, we have yet to receive official response from either office or see government intervention thereto.
”Consequently, and in light of prevailing concerns surrounding custodial practices and prosecutorial abuses, CEHRAWS has, as of 24th of June 2025, re-submitted the said letter to the Executive Governor of Abia State through the Honourable Attorney General. It is our hope that this renewed effort will now receive the administrative attention it so clearly warrants,” the statement explained.
The group noted that Justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done, particularly for the poor, the vulnerable, and the voiceless and therefore, called on the Governor of Abia State and the Honourable Attorney General to treat this matter with the urgency it deserves.
Other recommendations included that “That the Ministry of Justice, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, facilitates periodic training and sensitization for police officers and duty solicitors in line with the operational framework outlined in Police Force Order No. 20;
”That independent oversight mechanisms, inclusive of civil society organizations, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and the Legal Aid Council, be integrated to monitor compliance and ensure accountability;
”That adequate budgetary allocations be made for legal aid interventions and logistics to guarantee the sustainability of PDSS, particularly in underserved and rural police divisions.
The Police Duty Solicitors Scheme is not a discretionary initiative; it is a mandatory safeguard entrenched in Nigeria’s legal architecture to guarantee fair hearing, prevent human rights abuses, and foster public confidence in the criminal justice system. The continued inaction of relevant state actors, in the face of a statutory obligation, is both unconstitutional and inimical to the tenets of justice and good governance.”
