The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Akure Branch, has called on the Ondo State Government to deploy additional legal practitioners from the State Ministry of Justice to the Ondo State Security Network Agency, popularly known as the Amotekun Corps, to strengthen the legal scrutiny of criminal charges and court processes before they are filed.
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The association said the deployment would help ensure that cases brought before the courts by the security outfit comply with applicable legal requirements while protecting the fundamental rights of suspects and other persons involved in criminal proceedings.
The call was contained in a communiqué issued after the branch’s monthly meeting held at the Aare Afe Babalola Bar Centre in Akure, the Ondo State capital.
The communiqué, signed by the Branch Chairman, Mr Oju Kekemeke, and Secretary, Oluwanike Omotayo, was made available to journalists on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
According to the association, the presence of more qualified legal officers within Amotekun would improve the quality of charges and other court documents prepared by the agency, while strengthening compliance with the law in the prosecution of criminal cases.
“The branch resolved to advocate the secondment of additional legal practitioners from the Ondo State Ministry of Justice to the Ondo State Security Network Agency, otherwise known as the Amotekun Corps,” the communiqué stated.
“The proposed deployment is intended to strengthen the legal scrutiny of proposed charges and other court processes before cases are brought before the courts, with a view to promoting compliance with applicable legal requirements and safeguarding the rights of all persons concerned.”
The branch maintained that the proposed arrangement would provide additional legal support to the security outfit, particularly in reviewing charges and ensuring that court processes meet the necessary procedural and legal standards.
The recommendation also places emphasis on the protection of suspects’ rights, an important consideration in criminal investigations and prosecutions.
Amotekun was established in January 2020 as a regional security initiative involving the six South-West states of Ondo, Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Osun and Oyo.
The initiative followed growing concerns about kidnapping, banditry and other security challenges across the region.
The participating states subsequently enacted enabling legislation to provide a legal framework for the security arrangement and its operations.
In Ondo State, the corps operates under the Ondo State Security Network Agency and complements conventional security agencies in addressing criminal activities and protecting lives and property.
The latest NBA recommendation comes amid the corps’ continued involvement in the arrest of criminal suspects and the prosecution of cases arising from its operations.
The association’s position underscores the importance of ensuring that the security outfit’s law enforcement activities are supported by adequate legal expertise, particularly where suspects are to be arraigned before competent courts.
Beyond its recommendation concerning Amotekun, the NBA Akure Branch also expressed dissatisfaction with the implementation of the electronic filing system in the Ondo State judiciary.
The association criticised the existing procedure, under which lawyers are required to upload court documents electronically and make the necessary payments online but must still submit physical copies of the same documents.
It argued that the arrangement undermined the convenience expected from an electronic filing system and continued to impose unnecessary procedural burdens on legal practitioners.
The branch consequently called for the adoption of a fully electronic filing process that would eliminate the requirement for lawyers to submit duplicate physical copies after completing electronic filing.
According to the communiqué, where paper copies are required for court records or service on parties, the responsibility for generating those copies should rest with the court registry.
“Where physical copies are required for the court’s records or for service, such copies should be generated by the registry from the uploaded documents,” the association stated.
The branch maintained that such an arrangement would make electronic filing more practical and reduce the duplication of processes associated with submitting documents both electronically and physically.
The lawyers also raised concerns about the application of mandatory electronic filing requirements to urgent ex parte applications.
They called for urgent ex parte applications to be exempted from the compulsory e-filing procedure, having regard to the need for prompt judicial intervention in matters requiring immediate attention.
The association’s recommendation seeks to prevent filing requirements from delaying applications that must be considered urgently by the court.
To address the concerns, the NBA Akure Branch disclosed plans to seek a meeting with the Chief Judge of Ondo State.
It said the proposed engagement would involve senior members of the Bar and former chairmen of the branch to discuss the challenges associated with electronic filing and explore practical solutions.
The branch’s recommendations reflect its concerns about both criminal justice administration and the efficiency of court processes in Ondo State.
While the call for additional legal officers at Amotekun focuses on improving the legal quality of prosecutions and safeguarding suspects’ rights, the proposed electronic filing reforms are intended to improve access to judicial processes and reduce administrative difficulties encountered by lawyers.
The association maintained that strengthening legal oversight within security agencies and improving court administration would contribute to more effective justice delivery in the state.
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