In its continued effort to raise awareness about the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) of Lagos State, the Rights Enforcement and Public Law Centre (REPLACE) took its campaign to Mile 12 Market to educate women on their legal rights.
The initiative, supported by the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) Programme, aims to empower women and vulnerable groups with knowledge of their legal rights and correct misconceptions surrounding the ACJL.
Awareness on Key Legal Provisions
The Executive Director of REPLACE, Felicitas Aigbogun-Brai, emphasized the importance of educating women about the provisions of the ACJL, which was enacted in 2015 and amended in 2021, noted that, many women remain unaware of laws that safeguard their rights
“One of such provision allows women to act as sureties at police stations, a right often denied due to entrenched biases. The law clearly states that a woman can stand as surety if she meets the same conditions as a man, hence, women need to know and insist on this right.”
She also highlighted Section 4 of the ACJL, which prohibits the arrest of individuals in place of suspects, adding that, “If your relative or friend is a suspect, the police have no right to arrest you. This is a crucial point we want people to understand and assert,” she added.
According to the organiser, the campaign seeks to educate Lagos residents on ACJL provisions that protect their rights, advocate against the practice of arresting individuals “in lieu” of suspects and empowering women to confidently stand as sureties and assert their legal rights.
Aigbogun-Brai further called on the Lagos State Commissioner of Police to ensure officers adhere to the provisions of the ACJL and uphold citizens’ rights.
REPLACE pledged to continue its awareness efforts to ensure more women and vulnerable groups in Lagos State understand and assert their rights under the ACJL.
The campaign is a vital step towards reducing systemic biases, empowering women, and promoting justice for all.
During the awareness campaign, the Head (Iya Loja), Mile 12 market, Olaide Binitie commended the organiser for the initiative, adding that, “the advocacy is germane especially in a time women faced series of challenges from domestic to societal issues, hence, the explanation of the key provisions of the law would further expose women to their rights in the society.”
She said, “With the advocacy today, I am elated and expect positive changes among the women. If they have any issues regarding the infringement of their rights, they now know what to do especially with the enlightenment by the REPLACE group today,” she added.
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