EndSARS: Akintola offers free legal aid for detained protesters

By AKEEM ABAS

Prominent Nigerian lawyer, Chief Niyi Akintola, SAN, has offered to join other legal practitioners in the democratic wing of Egbe Amofin Oodua in providing free legal representation to individuals arrested during the EndSARS campaign in some parts of the country.

He made the offer in a statement he personally signed and made available to newsmen on Monday in Ibadan.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some Nigerians who took part in the EndSARS protest have been arrested and detained by the police.

The renowned legal luminary said that the free legal representation will be available to detained protesters in Akure, Ado Ekiti, Abeokuta, Ilorin, Ibadan, Osogbo, Lagos and Abuja.

Akintola said that the free legal services followed the decision of the democratic wing of Egbe Amofin Oodua, indicating that “Many of our colleagues of Yoruba extraction have placed their colleagues in chambers on standby for this purpose in Akure, Ado Ekiti, Abeokuta, Ilorin, Ibadan, Osogbo, Lagos and Abuja.

“Feel free to contact the undersigned if you or your relation is unjustifiably detained in any part of towns or state mentioned as a result of protests against the barbaric acts of FSARS,” he said.

“The death of our compatriots in Ogbomoso and indeed of any Nigerian in such a gruesome manner over a constitutionally guaranteed right is most unfortunate and condemnable.

“But the attack on the palace of our most revered father and Monarch of Ogbomosoland is an apostasy, sacrilegious, barbaric, crude, uncouth and most unreasonable in the circumstances of the prevailing situation in the country.

“The revered Kabiyesi is neither the IGP, CP nor the Chief Security Officer of Oyo State. The Kabiyesi is not even the Local Government Chairman of any of five Local Governments in Ogbomosholand.

“Why visiting the revered Kabiyesi palace with such barbaric acts of hooliganism and violence? Why fighting a good cause with wrong weapons? The acts of violence on the revered Palace is un-Yoruba-like,” he said.

He added that those who destroyed and vandalised the sacred palace of the revered monarch should also be brought to book.

According to him, “these unbecoming acts of criminality must not be swept under the carpet. A judicial commission of inquiry into the crimes should be instituted immediately by the governor of Oyo State.” (NAN)