The Attorney-General (AG) and Commissioner for Justice, Lagos State, Lawal Pedro (SAN), has said that most cases of injustice, exploitation and abuse experienced by residents are not the result of absent legal frameworks, but widespread ignorance of existing justice mechanisms and failure to activate them.
Pedro, however, defended government policies on enforcement, demolitions, criminal justice administration and judicial delays, saying that the state’s justice architecture is robust but grossly underutilised.
He made this known yesterday while answering questions from newsmen.
According to him, Lagos has built one of the most extensive justice-support systems in the country, particularly targeted at indigent and vulnerable residents, yet many citizens continue to suffer avoidable injustice because they are unaware of where to seek redress.
“The structures are already there. The real challenge is that people do not know where to go. Institutions, such as the Office of the Public Defender (OPD), the Citizens’ Rights Directorate, the Public Advice Centre, and the Office of the Administrator-General and Public Trustee, are key pillars deliberately designed to guarantee access to justice for the poor,” he said.
He said that the OPD goes beyond criminal defence to handle civil disputes, mediation, estate matters and, in deserving cases, prosecution on behalf of citizens who cannot afford private legal representation.
The attorney-general also challenged journalists to move beyond reporting episodes of outrage and instead incorporate practical guidance in their stories.
“When injustice happens, the media should also tell the public where to report and which institution is responsible. That information must be part of the narrative,” he said.
He, therefore, expressed the state’s readiness for structured collaboration through workshops and regular briefings to boost public legal literacy.
Pedro, however, acknowledged that citizens who complied with regulations but were wrongly affected have legal remedies, including compensation claims.
The AG, while responding to criticisms over delays in civil, probate and matrimonial cases, said that courts in the state are burdened by sheer case volume rather than inefficiency.
“Judges are human beings. You cannot expect one judge to handle dozens of matters daily,” he noted, disclosing plans to appoint more judges and implement reforms aimed at shortening trial timelines.
He attributed prolonged trials to weak investigations, absent complainants and insufficient evidence, saying: “No matter how skilled a prosecutor is, a weak case cannot succeed.”
He concluded that rebuilding trust in the justice system requires informed citizens, responsible media engagement and sustained institutional reforms, insisting that access to justice in the state is available if only residents know how to claim it.
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