A senior lawyer, and former Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja Branch, Bartholomew Aguegbodo at the weekend dispel the widely believe myth usually spread by policemen that bail cannot be granted on weekends, saying there is no law against granting bail during weekends.
Over time, the myth had spread that policemen cannot grant bail from the evening of Friday, and that an arrested person will have to spend weekends in police cells till Monday before bail can be granted. Another of myth is that a woman cannot stand for the bail of her husband.
Aguegbodo, whose tenure as ‘Tiger Chairman” is considered as one of the most successful in the recent history of the branch dispel such rumors and recommend that Nigerian policemen need to take constant refresher courses in human rights laws and regulations. “The men of the Nigerian police force need to be trained more on human rights laws if the current rate of human rights violations is to be curtailed in Nigeria”, he said.
He stressed that most policemen have no idea about the seriousness of human rights violations and that was the reason why he had taken it upon himself to regularly visit the criminal division of Lagos Police Command at Panti, Yaba Lagos to train them on human rights laws and the responsibility of the Police.
“For example, there is no provision of the law that says that you can not bail on weekends or that someone’s wife can not bail her husband.”
Aguagbodro further added that the law provides that a lawyer must be present while a suspect is being interviewed or interrogated by the police, but they (lawyers) should not intervene o tell them what to say during interrogation because this causes of action will get the police angry with unpalatable consequences. Human Rights Violation, Police Need More Enlightenment – Bartholomew Aguagbodro
The men of the Nigerian police force need to be trained more on human rights laws if the current rate of human rights violations is to be curtailed in Nigeria
These were the views of the immediate past chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association Ikeja Branch, Mr Bartholomew Aguagbodro during a parly with a section of the press
He stressed that most policemen have no idea about the seriousness of human rights violations and that was the reason why he had taken it upon himself to regularly visit the criminal division of Lagos police command at Panti to train them on human rights laws and the responsibility of the Police.
“For example, there is no provision of the law that says that you can not bail on weekends or that someone’s wife can not bail her husband.
Aguagbodro further added that the law provides that a lawyer must be present while a suspect is being interviewed or interrogated by the police, but they (lawyers) should intervene or tell their client what to say during interrogation because this causes of action will get the police angry with unpalatable consequences.
While calling on the NBA to ensure that lawyers are trained on dealing effectively with the police, he also called on the association to ensure that erring police officers are dealt with to serve as a deterrent to other officers.
“In most cases when a policeman is recalled for cases of human rights violation, the officer is normally reposted to another division or outside the state, but if they are made to face stiffer punishment then it will truly serve as a deterrent “
Speaking on some current challenges facing the NBA, Mr. Aguagbodro said that leadership requires great wisdom and some current crises shouldn’t have been allowed to get to a crisis level because they were avoidable, urging the current leadership to look deeply and apply wisdom.
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