Citizens Rights – Lagos State Ministry of Justice

Know Your Rights: LASG Counsel Pupils

Posted on October 25, 2022

Lagos State Government has called on school pupils in the State to ensure they know their rights as citizens and be ready to defend themselves when it’s been infringed upon. The Director of Directorate for Citizens Right, Ministry of Justice, Ms. Adetutu Oshinusi disclosed this recently at a sensitization program for students of the Ijegun community primary school. The sensitization campaign is in furtherance to the One Stop Child Justice Centre, an initiative of Lagos State Ministry of Justice to reduce the spate of child abuse in the State and ensure that minors are protected from abuse and abusers. Ms. Oshinusi stated that there is a solid framework for the fundamental human rights of the young pupils and they have enough protection against all forms of abuses in the Nigerian Constitution. “The One Stop Child Justice Centre’, handles all child-related matters which is in collaboration with other Departments, Agencies and Ministries such as the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Youth and Social Development, amongst others” “The Directorate of Citizens Right will continue to go the whole haul to protect the rights of children as provided under the Child Rights Law of Lagos State, 2015” “It is imperative that you all must be encouraged to report cases of abuses whether it has happened to you or someone you know.” The Director further reiterated that the sensitization program is about enlightening the pupils to know what thier rights are and this privilege will also be extended to other schools across the State. The Head Teacher Community Primary School 11, Mrs. Abosede Kowe, commended the Lagos State government for the program which is of great benefits to both students and teachers of the school while noting that the school will continue to enlighten its pupils on their rights as citizens of Lagos State.

New DCR Tasks Counsel on Optimum Service Delivery

Posted on January 20, 2022

The newly appointed Director of Citizens Rights, Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Ms Adetutu Oshinusi, has harped on the need for increased productivity and optimum service delivery among the counsel of the Directorate Oshinusi disclosed this during a roundtable meeting with counsel and non-counsel, noting that it is high time all the counsel in the Directorate up the ante in a bid to boost the State’s Human Rights record. “It is important to show absolute dedication and commitment to your official duties”. She urged the members of staff to extend to her the maximum cooperation given to her predecessor during her term as this will propel the Directorate forward. Oshinusi who was called to the Nigerian bar in 1991 has an unstinted exposure and experience practising Law in both the Private and Public Sector. Until her deployment, she was a Director in the department of Public Prosecution Taiwo Ade-Balogun Public Affairs Officer Citizens

Lagos Urges Residents to Protect Children’s Rights

Posted on December 15, 2021

…celebrates United Nations Human Rights Day Lagos State Government has urged residents of the State to protect the rights of children while noting that these sets of rights were enacted to cater for their vulnerability and development. This revelation was made by the Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary of the State Ministry of Justice, Ms. Titilayo Shita-Bey, at the annual Human Rights day celebration for Private and Public Primary and Secondary Schools across the State. The Permanent Secretary disclosed that the State Government has various initiatives and programmes targeted at protecting the rights of children, especially the Child’s Rights Law enacted to ensure that children enjoy special care, assistance and social protection. She opined that the Law allows children to enjoy special care and assistance, as well as social protection, which will equally foster their social-economic welfare and enhance the successful building of the nation. ., .”. According to the Permanent Secretary, the programme is organized annually by the Directorate for Citizens’ Right on every 10th of December to celebrate the promotion of Human Rights in our society and the world at large. This, she said, will further increase the recognition of protecting the rights of children, as well as ensuring that adults take responsibility for children’s protection and development. Speaking on the theme of the event tagged: “The Year of Socio-Economic Renewal and Nation Building”, Shita-Bey explained that the theme was carefully selected to recognize the importance of protecting the rights of children in attaining sustainable development. “when human rights are protected, it improves the nation’s human capital and increases national, economic and social growth”. Similarly,the Director for Public Prosecutions ,Mrs Olayinka Adeyemi in her keynote address stressed that Lagos State has continued to protect human rights through the Directorate of Citizens rights,Office of the public defender,citizens mediation centre amongst other directorates in the State ministry of Justice established to Forster human rights observance and enforcement in the State She further emphasized that failure to recognise human right in any nation is a design for societal destruction as seen in the History of the world and indeed at municipal level She commended the State Government for its doggedness in ensuring that human rights of every person is respected and protected The Director, Citizens Rights, Oluwatoyin Odunsanya, while appreciating the students and other personalities for supporting the government on the journey to completely protect Human Rights, implored them to continue being good citizens and ambassadors of Human Rights. She further advised them to spread the message against discrimination, child abuse and infringement of human and child’s rights. Other highlights of the programme include a drama presentation by Reagan Memorial Baptist Private School, titled “Say No to Bullying, Speak Out”. The presentation preached against bullying and dedicated to a JSS2 Student of Dowen School, Sylvester Oromoni, who was reportedly bullied at school by Senior students and ultimately died.. More importantly, it was targeted at encouraging parents and other acquaintances of the young people to have cordial relationships with their children and wards so that they can always count on them in times of distress and need. . In addition to this, debates were organized on topics related to Human Rights for Junior and Senior Secondary categories, with Oregun Junior High School emerging as the winner for the Junior category, while Reagan Memorial Baptist Private School got the first position for the Senior category.