By Innocent Anaba

A lawyer, Gideon Okebu, has called on the federal and state governments to list legal services, particularly the services of advocates, as essential, and therefore exempt from COVID-19 lockdown regulations.

Okebu in a statement, on Wednesday, said: “In keeping with our current reality, legal services, particularly the services of advocates, should be specifically included as essential services, which is exempt from lockdown measures.

“The listing of legal services as an essential service is pivotal to the legality, functionality and enforcement of the Quarantine Order of the President and the various governors, who have made similar orders.

“Recall that by virtue of the directive of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, to the heads of all courts, whether it be ultra vires his powers or not, courts were directed to sit in respect of urgent and time-sensitive matters.

ALSO READ: Easter: Uzodinma relaxes lockdown for Friday shopping

“This meant that the judiciary wasn’t completely shut down. If my foregoing assertion is false, where are the violators of the lockdown orders to be prosecuted?

“The need for the inclusion of legal services as essential services has also been exemplified by the prosecution of violators of the COVID-19 lockdown order, such as the Caverton pilots and passangers, Funke Akindele and the 21 people arraigned in Plateau State.

“These people and others, who will still be prosecuted in the nearest future, are entitled to the constitutional right to be defended by attorneys.

“However, they can’t be represented by attorneys who are under lock and key. Although some of the aforementioned examples were represented by counsel upon arraignment, there is the express need to list legal services as essential services, which is exempt from the lockdown measures because leaving the matter as it is would give room for multiple interpretations, which is dependent on the prerogative of the security personnel enforcing the lockdown.

“This situation creates the possibility of policemen turning back attorneys who have matters and clients to represent in court.

“I, therefore, argue that once any tier of government decides to make any COVID-19 lockdown order, enforce same and prosecute the violation of any such lockdown order, it becomes imperative to list the services of attorneys as essential services.”

Vanguard