ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPLICATION OF HUMAN RIGHT ABUSE IN NIGERIA: A STUDY OF LEGAL AID COUNCIL IN BAUCHI STATE, 2020-2024
Abstract
This study investigates “the assessment of the Implication of Human Right Abuse in Nigeria: A study of Legal Aid Council in Bauchi State, 2020-2024” with the aim of evaluating the Council’s effectiveness in addressing human-rights violations during the period under review. Anchored in Social Contract Theory, which posits that the legitimacy of the state rests on its protection of citizens’ rights, the research was guided by three objectives: (i) to assess the extent to which the Legal Aid Council provided legal assistance to victims of human-rights abuses; (ii) to identify institutional and contextual barriers to its effectiveness; and (iii) to recommend strategies for strengthening its capacity to prevent and redress rights abuses. The study adopted a qualitative design using semi-structured interviews with purposively selected staff of the Legal Aid Council, beneficiaries, civil society representatives, and justice-sector stakeholders. Findings revealed that while the Legal Aid Council in Bauchi State contributed significantly to access to justice for vulnerable groups especially in cases of unlawful detention, domestic abuse, and police brutality its impact was constrained by underfunding, shortage of personnel, inadequate public awareness, and weak inter-agency coordination. The study recommends increased government funding, expansion of mobile legal-aid clinics, strengthened training for staff in human-rights litigation, and the establishment of robust partnerships with civil-society organisations to improve outreach and monitoring. The research concludes that enhanced institutional capacity and citizen awareness are vital for the Legal Aid Council to fulfil its mandate as a key instrument of human-rights protection in Bauchi State.
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