KANO — Renowned human rights crusader and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana (SAN), has delivered a powerful message to law enforcement: the days of locking up suspects for weeks without telling their families are over.
Speaking during a 3-day capacity-building workshop for prosecutors in Kano State, Falana emphasized that under Nigeria’s current legal framework, the police are legally bound to inform a suspect’s family immediately upon arrest—no more silent detentions or families left in the dark thinking their loved ones have been kidnapped.
“The law is clear: if you arrest someone, you must contact their family. No one should be locked away without trace,” Falana said, pointing to growing abuses by police that leave poor Nigerians especially vulnerable.
Falana also reminded participants that legal representation begins at the police station—not just in court. Suspects, whether rich or poor, have the right to a lawyer before police questioning, and the police are obligated to connect them with a legal aid provider if they can’t afford one.
“It’s no longer a favor, it’s a right,” he said. “From the station to the courtroom, access to justice must not be a luxury for only the rich.”
He criticized the lack of adequate public defenders in Nigeria, especially at the grassroots level. While the federal Legal Aid Council has a presence in all 36 states, Falana insisted every local government in Kano—44 in total—must establish an Office of the Public Defender to fight for the rights of the underserved.
“Right now, too many people are forced to say ‘God will judge’ because they can’t afford justice. But the government has already made provisions. What we need now is the will to implement them,” he urged.
He called on the Kano State Government and others to scale up legal support services, noting that poverty and poor access to justice often feed the cycle of oppression.
