Legal Aid Council of Nigeria

05/08/2026

*NEW GOVERNING BOARD INAUGURATED FOR LEGAL AID COUNCIL OF NIGERIA*

A new Governing Board has been inaugurated for the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria. The inauguration took place on 5th August 2026 at the Federal Ministry of Justice Headquarters, Abuja.

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Chief Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, in his speech, urged the new Board to provide policy direction that will strengthen the Council’s mandate of providing free legal aid services to indigent Nigerians.

He stated that the inauguration of the Governing Board was in line with Part 1 of the Legal Aid Act 2011, which sets out the composition of a diverse Governing Board made up of the Chairman and members.

He noted that the inauguration was also in line with the reforms of the Federal Ministry of Justice and the administration of His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu geared towards strengthening citizens rights and deepening access to justice for the poor in Nigeria. He linked the Legal Aid Council’s work directly to the Federal Government’s legal reform agenda, saying reforms were aimed at building a justice system that is more efficient, transparent, accountable and people-centred.

He further stated that the Legal Aid Council serves as the moral compass of the Nigerian Justice system and the Council also ensures that poverty is never a bar to justice. He added that
access to justice is not a luxury, it is a prerequisite for national security, public trust and socioeconomic harmony.

The Attorney-General expressed confidence in the leadership of the Board Chairman, retired Justice Sulyman Durosinlohun Kawu, OFR, a former Chief Judge of Kwara State, saying his judicial experience and administrative competence would provide the strategic direction needed to strengthen the Legal Aid Council.

Fagbemi directed the Board to provide strategic policy leadership that would enable the Council’s management to strengthen operational initiatives such as the Police Duty Solicitors Scheme (PDSS) and the Court Duty Solicitors Scheme (CDSS), both designed to ensure suspects obtain legal representation at the earliest stages of arrest and prosecution.

In his acceptance speech, the new Board Chairman, Hon. Justice Sulayman Durosinloun Kawu OFR, CFR (Rtd), assured the Honourable Attorney General that he would focus on expanding the Legal Aid Council to all nooks and crannies of Nigeria, as well as enhance staff welfare.

In his closing remarks, the Director General of the Legal Aid Council Aliyu Bagudu Abubakar thanked the Honourable Attorney General for his kind gesture and efforts in securing an upward review of the Council's overhead, which he said had never happened under any previous administration.

LACoN News Reporting

02/08/2026

15/06/2026

*FG commences fresh mass trial of suspected terrorists in Abuja*

The Federal Government on Monday 15th June, 2026 commenced the phase ten of the mass trial of suspected terrorists at the Federal High Court complex in Abuja, as authorities intensified efforts to prosecute terrorism-related offences across the country.

The prosecution team is being led by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, while Aliyu Abubakar, Director-General of the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria in company of Barrister Dauda Hassan the Special Assistant to LACoN DG on Counter Terrorism and Complex Cases Group, heads the legal defence for indigent defendants.

The suspects are facing charges bordering on terrorism, terrorism financing, and aiding and abetting insurgent activities. Proceedings are being conducted simultaneously in multiple courtrooms within the Federal High Court complex, with several judges assigned to handle the cases. The trial is expected to run for one week.

Judges presiding over the matters include Justices Binta Nyako, Emeka Nwite, Musa Liman, James Omotosho, Obiora Egwuatu, and Ekerete Akpan.

The latest proceedings form part of the Federal Government’s ongoing counter-terrorism prosecution programme aimed at accelerating the dispensation of justice in terrorism-related cases.

Speaking at the time, Fagbemi disclosed that the government had secured 386 convictions from 508 terrorism-related cases prosecuted before the courts.

LACON Press Unit reporting from the Federal High Court Abuja

01/12/2025

Mrs. Igu Martha Egwu, Zonal Director of the South East Zone, Legal Aid Council Enugu, represented the zone as a member of the Technical Working Group (TWG) at the inaugural launch of the Enugu Legal Hub for Victims of Human Trafficking and Related Matters.

The event took place at Carlton Swiss Grand Hotel, Nza Street, Independence Layout, Enugu.

The hub was initiated and organized by FIAP and IOM, and is supervised by NAPTIP and the Enugu State Ministry of Justice. Present at the launch were representatives of NAPTIP, NHRC, NBA, FIDA, the Nigeria Police Force, Civil Defence, NGOs, Immigration, Traditional Rulers, Vigilante groups, Market Women Associations, the Judiciary, and other key stakeholders.

During the event, new EXCOs selected from members of the TWG were sworn in. Notably, the position of Financial Secretary was awarded to the Zonal Director, South East Zone, Legal Aid Council, Enugu.

31/10/2025

Earlier today, the Director General of the Legal Aid Council, Mr Aliyu Bagudu Abubakar Esq FCILRM, led a powerful delegation of management and staff of the Council which paid a Courtesy visit to the Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, they discussed ways to continue to strengthen the partnership between the two government agencies

During the visit, they discussed areas of mutual interest and cooperation, such as providing legal aid to indigent citizens, promoting access to justice, and enhancing the effectiveness of their respective organisations. The Legal Aid Council's mandate includes administering a legal aid scheme, organising legal aid clinics to execute legal aid duties and providing free legal services to indigent Nigerians.

The NYSC, on the other hand, is responsible for promoting national unity, implementing youth development programs, and providing opportunities for young Nigerians to contribute to national development. The two agencies discussed exploring ways to collaborate on initiatives that promote youth empowerment, access to justice, and civic engagement.

The Director General of Legal Aid Council and his team were taken around the digital NYSC museum, featuring historical Nigerian artifacts which highlight the importance of preserving Nigeria's cultural and historical heritage and promoting national unity.