EXPLANATORY MEMORADUM
This Act
repeals the Legal Aid Act Cap. L9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004,
enact the Legal Aid Act, 2011 in line with international standards, provide for
the establishment of legal aid and access to justice fund into which financial
assistance would be made available to the Council on behalf of the indigent
citizens to prosecute their claims in accordance with the Constitution and
further to empower the existing Legal Aid Council to be responsible for the
operation of a scheme for the grant of legal aid and access to justice in
certain matters or proceedings to persons with inadequate resources in
accordance with the provision of this Act.
Section: ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
PART 1 – ESTABLISHMENT OF THE LEGAL AID COUNCIL
1.
Establishment of Legal Aid Council.
2.
Qualification and Membership of the Governing
Board, etc.
3.
Functions of the Governing Board.
4.
Appointment of Director-General of the Council.
5.
Service to the Commission to be pensionable.
6.
State offices of the Council.
7.
Power of the President to give directives to the
Council.
PART II – LEGAL AID ADVICE
8.
Scope
of legal aid and access to justice
PART
III – FINANCIAL ASPECTS OF LEGAL AID
9.
General
Fund and legal aid and access to justice Fund.
10.
Persons
entitled to legal aid.
11.
Ascertainment
of means.
12.
Power
to Accept gifts.
13.
Audit.
PART
IV – LEGAL PRACTITIONERS
14.
Legal
practitioners.
15.
Demand
for or receipt of certain payments prohibited.
16.
Lawyers
serving in Youth Corps to give free Legal Aid.
17.
Non-Governmental
Organisations, Law Clinics and Paralegal.
18.
Pro bono Cases and enjoyment of privileges.
19.
Prison monitoring and review of cases of awaiting
trial inmates.
PART V – MISCELLANEOUS AND SUPPLEMENTARY
20.
How information disclosed are to be treated
21.
Penalty for false information
22.
Annual reports.
23.
Regulations.
24.
Interpretation.
25.
Citation.
Schedules.
LEGAL AID ACT, 2011
A BILL
FOR
An Act to repeal the Legal
aid Act Cap. L9 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 in line with
interpretational standards and to provide for the establishment of legal aid
and access to justice fund into which financial assistance would be made
available to the Council on behalf of the indigent citizens to prosecute their
claims in accordance with the Constitution and further to empower the existing
Legal Aid council to be responsible for the operation of a scheme for the grant
of legal aid and access to justice in certain matters or proceedings to persons
with inadequate resources in accordance with the provision of this act; and for
related matters.
[ ] Commencement ENACTED by the National Assembly of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria -
PART 1 – ESTABLISHMENT OF
THE LEGAL AID COUNCIL
1.
(1) There is established the Legal Aid Council (in this Act
referred to as “the Council”).
(2) The
Council shall be a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common seal
and may sue and be sued in its corporate name.
(3) The
Council shall have responsibility for the provision in accordance with this
Act, of legal aid, advice, access to justice in respect of persons entitled
thereto.
(4) The Council shall comprise
–
(a)
the Governing Board made up of the Chairman and the members;
(b)
the Director-General of the Council; and
(c)
such supporting legal and other staff engaged
for the purposes of the efficient performance of the duties and obligations of
the Council under or pursuant to this Act.
Establishment
of
Legal
Aid Council
2.
(1) The Governing Board shall comprise of a
Chairman, who shall be a retired judge or a legal practitioner of repute of not
less than 15 years standing-
(a)
representative of the Attorney-General;
(b)
representative
of the Federal Ministry of Finance;
(c)
representative
of the National Youth Service Corps Directorate;
(d)
representative of the Inspector-General of Police;
Qualification
and
Membership of the
Governing
Board
(f)
the Nigeria Bar Association, four representative,
one of whom shall be the General Secretary of the Association;
(g)
representative of the Nigerian Labour Congress;
(h)
representative of Women Group providing free legal
aid services;
(i)
two representatives of States sponsoring legal aid
services;
(j)
representative of civil society based organization
providing legal aid;
(k)
representative of the Nigerian Union of
Journalists; and
(l)
the Director-General.
(2)
The Chairman and other members of the Governing
Board shall be appointed by the President.
(3)
The Director-General shall be responsible for the
provision of the secretariat and logistics for all meetings and other
businesses of the Council.
(4)
The
First Schedule to this Act shall have effect with respect to the qualifications
and
tenure of the office of members of the
council and other matters contained therein.
3.
The functions of the Governing Board shall
include the establishment of broad policies and strategic plans of the Council
in accordance with the provisions of this Act.
First schedule
Functions of
Governing
Board
4.
(1)
There shall, on the recommendation of the Attorney-General of the Federation,
be appointed by the President a Director-General of Legal Aid Council, who
shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Council, who shall be responsible
for the day-to-day management of the human, financial and material resources in
accordance with this Act.
(2)
A person shall not be qualified to hold or to
perform the functions of the office of Director-General unless he is a legal
practitioner of not less than 10 years standing.
(3)
There shall be paid to the Director-General such
salary and allowances as may be determined by the Council with the approval of
the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission:
Provided that such salary and allowances are not
less than those payable to the Director-General of any Ministry of the
Government of the Federation.
(4) There may be appointed from time to time by
the Council, such supporting legal and other staff as may be required for the
purposes of the efficient performance of the duties of the Council under or
pursuant to this Act.
Appointment of
the Director-
General
(5)
Subject to subsection (3) of this section, the
remuneration of the staff of the Council shall be determined by the Council
after consultation with the Salaries and Wages Commission.
5.
(1) The provisions of the Pension Reform Act
shall apply to the Director-General and other members of staff of the Council
in the same manner as it applies to persons holding equivalent grades in the
public service of the Federation.
(2)
Nothing in this section shall be construed as
preventing the appointment of a person to any office in the Council on terms,
which preclude the grant of a pension and gratuity in respect of that office.
Service
to the Council to be Pensionable
6.
(1) The following shall form the major Departments as the
Councils head office-
(a)
Finance
and Administrative;
(b)
Litigation;
(c)
International Relations, Corporate Operations and
Planning and Research, and such other Departments or units as the Board may
decide.
(2) There
shall be a zonal office of the Council in each of the six geo-political zones
to be headed by a zonal officer who shall be a lawyer of appropriate rank who
shall be responsible for the coordination of State offices and their
activities.
(3) The Zonal officer
shall report to and be responsible to the Director of Litigation.
(4) The
Council shall establish one office in each State of the Federation to be headed
by an officer of appropriate rank who shall be responsible for provision of
service in the State and reports to the zonal officer in whose jurisdiction the
State belongs.
(5) Each state office of the
Council shall operate 3 legal service units, namely
(a) Criminal
Defence Unit;
(b) Civil
Litigation Unit;
(c) Community
Legal Service Unit.
State offices of the Council
7.
The President may give the Board directives
of a general character or relating generally to particular matters with regard
to the exercise by the Council of its functions under or pursuant to this Act.
Powers of the President to Give directives to the Council
8.
(1) The grant of legal aid, advice and access
to justice shall be provided by the Council in 3 broad areas, namely, Criminal
Defence Service, Advice and Assistance in Civil matters including legal
representation in court and Community Legal Services subject to merits and
indigence tests for the parties.
Scope of legal Aid and access to Justice.
(2)
The Council, shall establish, maintain and develop
a service known as the Criminal Defence Service for the purpose of assisting
indigent persons involved in criminal investigation or proceedings specified in
the Second Schedule to this Act, access to such advice, assistance and
representation as the interest of justice requires.
(3) The Council shall establish and maintain a
service to be known as the Civil Litigation Service for the purpose of
assisting indigent persons to access such advice, assistance, and
representation in court where the interest of justice demands, to secure,
defend, enforce, protect or otherwise exercise any right, obligation, duty,
privilege interest or service to which that person is ordinarily entitled under
the Nigerian legal system.
(4)
Legal Aid shall also be granted in respect of any
breach or denial of any such right, obligation, duty, privilege or service and
the Council shall be responsible for the representation before any court or
tribunal for such civil matters.
(5) Legal Aid shall consist,
on terms provided by this Act, of-
(a)
the assistance of a legal practitioner including
all such assistance as is usually given to by a private legal practitioner in
the steps preliminary or incidental to any proceeding;
(b)
representation by a legal practitioner including
all such assistance as is usually given to by a private legal practitioner
before any court; and
(c)
such additional aid (including advice) as may be
prescribed.
(6) Where regulations made provide for Legal
aid, provision shall be made therein to the effect that persons shall not be
given legal aid in connection with any such proceeding unless he shows to the
satisfaction of the Director-General or other person authorized by the Council
that he has reasonable grounds for taking, defending or being a party
Second
Schedule
receive it in the particular
circumstances of the case.
(7)
The Council shall establish, maintain and develop
a service known as Community Legal Service for the purpose of promoting
individual services and in particular, for
ensuring that individuals have
access to services that effectively meet their needs.
Community Legal Services for the
purpose of this section means –
(a)
the provision of general information about the law
and legal system and the availability of legal services;
(b)
the provision of assistance; in preventing or
settling or otherwise resolving disputes about legal rights and duties;
(c)
the provision of assistance in enforcing decisions
by which such dispute are resolved;
(d)
the
provision of assistance in financial support and rendering; and
(e) the
provision of assistance
with regards to
claims against public
authorities,
private organizations and individuals:
Provided that the Director-General shall reserve the right to
set the limit of such assistance.
(8) Every person authorized by the Council to exercise the
functions relating to Community legal Service shall do so in such a manner as
to –
(a)
promote improvement in the quality of services
provided for the benefit of those who need them;
(b)
ensure that the services provided in relation to
any matter are appropriate having regard to its nature and importance; and
(c)
achieve a swift and fair resolution of disputes in
order to avoid the necessity of a protracted court proceeding.
PART III – FINANCIAL ASPECTS OF
LEGAL AID
9.
There is established the Legal Aid General
Fund for the day-to-day administration of the Council into which shall be paid-
(a)
such sums as shall be appropriated annually by the
National Assembly pursuant to section 46 of the Constitution of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria; and
General Fund and Legal aid and Access to justice Fund
(b)
such sums as shall be appropriated annually or
otherwise provided from time to time by the Government of each State of the
Federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
10.
(1) Legal aid shall only be granted to a
person whose income does not exceed the national minimum wage.
Persons entitled to Legal aid.
(2)
Notwithstanding the provision of subsection (1),
the Board may, in exceptional circumstance, grant legal aid service to a person
whose earning exceeds the national minimum wage.
(3) Notwithstanding
the provisions of subsection (1) of this section, the Governing Board may
approve the giving of legal aid on a contributory basis to a person whose
income exceeds ten times of the national minimum wage.
Provided that -
(a)
the Council shall recover the expenses incurred in
giving legal aid to such a person by the retention of both an amount equal to
10 percent of the damages awarded and the costs awarded to him;
(b)
where such a person has been granted Legal Aid on
a contributory basis he shall be entitled to a refund of his contribution from
such costs.
(4) No
contribution made under subsection (2) of this section shall exceed the
appropriate slim calculated in the manner prescribed for that purpose.
(5)
The Council shall not be liable in any way to pay
costs howsoever awarded against a person granted legal aid.
(6)
The rules of any court relating to payment of fees
shall not apply to a person granted legal aid.
11.
(1) In ascertaining the means of any person
for the purposes of this Act, that person’s income and his personal and real
property shall be taken into account.
(2) In assessing a person’s means such of his
commitments as may be prescribed, shall be deducted from the resources, which
would otherwise be his means.
Ascertainment of means
12.
(1) The Council may accept gifts of land,
money or other property upon such terms and conditions, if any as may be
specified by the person or organization making the gift.
(2)
The Council shall not accept any gift if the
conditions attached by the person or organization making the gift to the
acceptance thereof are inconsistent with the functions of the Council.
Power to accept gifts.
13.
The accounts of the Council shall be audited
in accordance with the relevant laws after the end of each financial year by
auditors appointed by the Board and the fees of the auditors and the expenses
for the audit generally shall be paid from the Legal Aid General Fund.
PART IV – LEGAL PRACTITIONERS
14.
(1) Panels of Legal Practitioners willing to
act for persons receiving legal aid (whether gratuitously or otherwise) shall
prepare and be maintained by staff of the Council and there may be separate
Panels for different purposes and, for different courts and different
districts.
(2) A legal practitioner shall be entitled to
have his name on the appropriate panel or panels unless the designated staff of
the Council thinks that there is reason (arising out of his conduct when acting
or selected to act for persons receiving legal aid or his professional conduct
generally or, in the case of a member of the firm) for excluding him.
(3)
Where a legal practitioner is aggrieved by any
decision excluding him (whether permanently or temporarily) from any panel he
may refer the matter to the Director-General and if he is not satisfied with
the decision of the Director-General he may appeal to the Governing Board.
15.
(1)
Subject to the provisions of this Act a legal practitioner or other legal
service providers who has acted for a person receiving legal aid shall be paid
for so acting b the receipt of certain legal aid Fund and the legal practitioner
or legal service provider shall not be entitled to payments charge or recover
from a legally assisted person any amount-
(a)
by way of costs in respect of work assigned by the
Council to a private legal practitioner on behalf of that person; or
Audit
Legal
Practitioners
Demand
for Or receipt of
certain payments prohibited
(b)
by way of disbursement incurred on behalf of that
person in connection with that work except with the approval of the Governing
Council.
(2)
A provision of any agreement (whether in writing
or not or whether entered into before or after the commencement of this Act) –
(a) under which the operation of this section
is excluded, modified or restricted; or
(b)
which has the effect of excluding, modifying or
restricting the operation of this section is void to the extent of this
exclusion.
(3)
The sums payable under subsection (1) of this
section to a legal practitioner shall be such as may be determined by the
Council.
(4)
In this Part, references to acting for a person
receiving legal aid, shall in relation to a legal practitioner, include acting
indirectly for such a person, as agent for his legal practitioner so however
that any selection from any panel of a legal practitioner to act as agent shall
be made by the legal practitioner for whom he is to act:
Provided always that the Council shall review the
panels of legal practitioners annually and only legal practitioners who have
paid their annual subscription or practicing fee to the Nigeria Bar Association
can be appointed by the Council to act for persons receiving legal aid.
16.
Notwithstanding the provisions of any other
enactment including rules of court, legal practitioners for the time being
serving in the National Youth Service Corps shall, if the Council so directs,
act for a person receiving legal aid, in which case no professional fees shall
be made by the Council except stipend and travelling allowance.
Lawyer serving Youth Corps to Give free legal aid
17.
(1) The Council
shall maintain a register
of non-governmental organizations
and law Non-governmental
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organization
law
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clinics
that are engaged in the provision of legal aid or assistance to persons who
are
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clinic and
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paralegal.
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entitled
to legal aid under this Act.
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(2) The
Council may partner with or otherwise engage the services of such organizations
in a manner consistent with the mandate of the Council.
(3) The
Council may grant licenses to persons who have undergone a prescribed course in
paralegal services to render such services in appropriate situations.
18.
(1) A legal practitioner who institutes or
conducts pro bono cases on behalf of persons entitled to legal aid under this
Act shall register such cases with the Council, which shall keep record of and
monitor the progress of such matters.
(2)
A legal practitioner who applies to be appointed
to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria shall be required to show evidence of
diligent conduct of not less than three pro bono cases in the legal year
immediately preceding his application.
(3)
It shall be a professional misconduct for any
legal practitioner to abandon or otherwise neglect such cases.
19.
(1) The Council shall, from time to time,
conduct inspection of prisons, police cells and other places where suspected
persons are held in order to assess the circumstances under which such persons
are detained.
(2)
It shall be the duty of all police officers and
courts to inform suspected person of his entitlement to the services of a legal
practitioner from the moment of arrest and if such suspect cannot afford the
services of a legal practitioner to notify the Council to represent him if he
so desires.
(3)
The Council and the lawyers designated by it shall
be entitled to have access to and interview suspects detained in prisons,
police stations, or any other places of detention in Nigeria and such
designated lawyers shall be entitled to be present during the interrogation of
the suspects in accordance with the rights guaranteed to suspects under the
Constitution.
(4)
The Council shall regularly liaise with the
Judiciary, Attorney General of the Federation or of any State, the Department
of Public Prosecution, the Inspector-General of Police, the Commissioners of
Police, Prison Authority or
other agencies as may be appropriate, in order to
avoid unnecessary delay in the prosecution of cases.
(5)
The Council may file an application in any
appropriate court for the review of the case of any person who has been held in
any place of custody without trial for a period exceeding the maximum provided
by the Constitution.
Pro
bono cases and enjoyment of privileges.
Prison
monitoring and review cases of awaiting trial inmates.
PART V – MISCELLANEOUS AND
SUPPLEMENTARY
20.
(1) All information collected publicly or
received by the Council in the discharge of its functions and exercise of its
powers under this Act shall be publicly accessible unless the disclosure of
such information would be-
How information disclosed are to be treated
(b)
cause avoidable damage to the best interests of a
known child or young person;
(c)
irreparably damaging to the best interest of the
known child or young person.
(2)
Subsection (1) of this section shall not prevent
the disclosure of information for any purpose with the consent of the person in
connection with whose case it was furnished where he did not furnish it
himself, with that of the person or body of persons who furnished it.
(3)
Any person who otherwise than in compliance with
the provisions of this Act or of regulations made thereunder discloses
information obtained by him commits an offence and shall be liable on summary
conviction to a fine of N50,000.00 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding six
months or to both such fine and imprisonment.
21.
If a person seeking or receiving legal aid or
advice in furnishing any information required under or pursuant to this Act,
knowingly or recklessly makes any statement which is false in a material
particular he commits an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a
fine of N50, 000.00 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to
both such fine and imprisonment.
Penalty for False Information
22. The Council shall in each year make a report to
the Attorney-General of its proceed under Annual reports
this Act during the preceding year containing –
(a)
an account of its operation and transactions, throughout the
preceding year; and
(b)
a statement of its account audited in accordance with section
13 of this Act.
23. (1) The Governing Board may make regulations
generally for the better carrying on the Regulations
purpose
of this Act and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, such
regulations may make provision for –
(a)
anything which is to be or which may be prescribed
under this Act;
(b) the
manner in which the means of any person who may be eligible for Legal Aid shall
be computed;
(c) the
manner in which contributions into the Legal Aid Fund and the Access to Justice
fund are to be made by persons receiving legal aid or advice and in which sums
owing from such persons to the Council may be recovered; a
(d) reports
and information required by the Council for the purposes of this Act be
supplied by public offices and other persons; and
(e) matters
which appear to be Governing Council necessary or desirable for giving effect
to the provisions of this Act or for preventing abuses thereof.
(2) The
Governing Board shall also make regulations for the involvement of
non-governmental legal aid providers in accordance with this Act.
(3) The
Council may prescribe the form of any certificate, any application and any
other document which may be required for the purposes of this act.
(4) The
Council shall make regulations for the involvement of Para-Legal aid provision
in accordance with the provisions of this Act.
(5) Standard
to be observed in assigning a legal practitioner to Community Legal services or
other services including fees payable and any other which appear to the Council
necessary or desirable for giving effect to the provision of this Act or for
preventing abuses.
24.
(1) In this Act –
Interpretation
“Attorney- General” means the
Attorney-General of the Federation;
“Council”
means the Legal Aid Council established under section 1 of this Act;
“Community” means the Legal Services” are services which may include non-court
advisory services, public awareness service, mediation, and other counseling
services required generally;
“Offence” means offences that are
specified in the Second Schedule or as created under this Act.
“Paralegal” describes any person
although not admitted to the practice of law in Nigeria, performs substantially
legal tasks under the direction and supervision of a legal practitioner.
“Proceedings” Means –
(a)
any proceeding before any court dealing with
individual; and
(b) any other
such proceedings concerning an individual before such court or body as may be
authorized by the Director – General;
“Tribunal” includes an ad-hoc tribunal.
(2) In this Act, references to persons seeking or receiving
legal aid do not include references to corporate bodies.
25.
This
Act may be cited as Legal Aid, 2011.
Citation
FIRST SCHEDULE Section 2 (4)
SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISIONS RELATING
TO THE COUNCIL
Tenure of Office
1.
(1) The Chairman shall hold office for 3 years and
may be eligible for re-appointment for one further period of 3 years.
(2) Members
of the Governing Board (not being ex-officio members) shall hold office for 3
years and shall be eligible for re-appointment for one further period of 3
years.
2.
(1)
The Chairman or any of the members of the Governing Board referred to in paragraph
(2)
of this Schedule may, by notice addressed to the
President through the Attorney General of the Federation, resign his
appointment.
(2)
The tenure of the office of the Director –General
of the Council shall be 4 years and may be renewable for one final term of 4
years on the basis of satisfactory performance.
Proceedings of the
Governing Council
3.
(1) Subject to this Act and section 27 of the
Interpretation Act, the Governing Board may make standing orders regulating the
proceedings of the Governing Board or of any committee thereof.
(2) The
quorum of the Governing Board shall be the Chairman and 5 other members, and
the quorum of any committee of the Governing Council shall be determined by the
Governing Board.
4.
(1)
Subject to the provision of any standing order of the Governing Board, the
Governing Board shall meet once every 3 months, and if the Chairman is required
to do so by notice giving to him by not less than 5 other members, he shall
summon a meeting of the Governing Board to be held within 20 days from the date
on which the notice is given.
(2)
At any meeting of the Governing Council, the
Chairman shall preside, but if he is absent, the members present at the meeting
shall appoint one of their members to preside at that meeting.
(3) Where the Governing Board desires to obtain
the advice of any person on a particular matter, the Governing Board may co-opt
him as a member for such period as it thinks fit; but a person who is a member
by virtue of this subparagraph shall not be entitled to vote at any meeting of
the Governing Council and shall not count towards a quorum.
(4) Notwithstanding anything in the provision
of subparagraphs (1), (2) and (3) of this paragraph the first meeting of the
Governing Board shall be summoned by the Chairman.
Committees
5.
(1) The Governing Board may appoint one or more
committees to carry out, on behalf of the Governing Board, such functions of
the Governing as Governing Board may determine.
(2)
A committee appointed under this paragraph shall
consist of the number of persons determined by the Governing Board, and not
more than one-third of those persons may be persons who are not members of the
Governing Board and a person other than a member of the Governing Board shall
hold office in accordance with the terms of the instrument by which he was
appointed.
(3)
A decision of the committee of the Governing
Council shall have no effect until it is confirmed by the Governing Council.
Miscellaneous
6.
(1) The fixing of the seal of the Governing Board
shall be authenticated by the signature of the Director General or of some
other member authorized generally or specifically to act for that purpose by
the Director General.
(2)
A contract or instrument which is made or executed
by any person not being a body corporate, would not be required to be made
under seal, may be made or executed on behalf of the Governing Board by any
person generally or specifically authorized for that purpose by the Governing
Council.
(3)
A document purported to be a document executed
under the seal of the Governing Board shall be received in evidence and shall,
unless the contrary is proved, be deemed as if it were so executed.
7.
Members of the Governing Board shall be paid out
of monies at the disposal of the Council such as travelling and subsistence
allowance in respect of any period spent on the business of the Governing Board
as the President may determine.
8.
The validity of the proceedings of the Governing
Board or of a committee thereof shall not be affected by any vacancy in the
membership of the Governing Board or committee, or by any defect in the
appointment of a member of the Board or of a person to serve on the committee,
or by reason that a person not entitled to do so took part in the proceedings
provided that a quorum is maintained.
9.
A member of the Governing Board, and any person
holding office on a committee of the Governing Board, who has a personal
interest in any contract or arrangement entered into or proposed to be
considered by the Governing Board or to a committee thereof shall immediately
disclose his interest to the Governing Board or to a committee and shall not
vote on any question relating to the contract or arrangement provided that a
quorum is maintained.
Proceedings in respect of
which legal aid may be given
A.
Proceedings in a court or tribunal (whether at
first instance or on appeal) wholly or partly in respect of crimes of the
following descriptions, or as near to those descriptions as may be,
respectively in any Criminal Code or Penal Code-
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Criminal Code
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Penal Code
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1.
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Murder of any degree
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culpable homicide
punishable with death
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2.
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Manslaughter
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culpable
homicide not punishable with death
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3.
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Maliciously or willfully grievous hurt
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Wounding or inflicting grievous
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Bodily harm.
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4.
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Assault occasioning actual bodily harm
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Criminal force occasioning actual
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Bodily harm.
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5.
Common
assault.
6.
Affray.
7.
Stealing.
8.
Rape.
9.
Armed
robbery.
B.
Aiding and abetting, or counseling or
procuring the commission of, or being an accessory before or after the fact to,
or attempting or conspiring to commit any of the offences listed in paragraph A
of the Schedule.
C.
1. Civil
claims in respect of accidents including employee’s compensation
claim (under the Employee’s
Compensation Act, (Act No. 13 of 2010).
2.
Civil claims to cover breach of fundamental rights
guaranteed under chapter IV of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria.
3.
Civil claims arising from criminal activities
against persons who are qualified for Legal Aid under this Act.
