The Director, Directorate of Citizens Rights, DCR, in the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Odusanya, has pleaded with all residents of the State to always approach the Office for the protection of their fundamental human rights rather than suffering in silence or resorting to self-help.
Odusanya, who made the plea recently during an interview session on a Radio Lagos programme called “Eda wa l’ohun”, described DCR as a place where masses with challenges find succour, saying that the present administration is leaving no stone unturned in ensuring that the citizens live in peace, love and harmony.
She said that the Directorate has the right of accepting petitions on alleged human rights violation and other matters affecting women, widows, orphans as well as child abuse victims.
“At DCR, there’s always protection for our women and men in terms of protecting rights against physical abuse, child abuse, exploitation, rape, incest and sexual assault, emotional, verbal and psychological abuse and more”, Odusanya reiterated.
According to her, DCR conducts prison watch services as a way of improving prison conditions and addressing human rights violation of inmates, especially those awaiting trial, adding that provisions also exist for amicable settlement of disputes between employers and employees, landlords and tenants among others.
In her words: “The protection of our children is not also left out, in terms of the right to life, survival, right to freedom, rights to free primary education, encouragement of secondary and tertiary education, right to health and health services and balanced development, all these and other rights are protected under the Child Rights Law of Lagos State”.
While saying that the Office can only intervene on matters brought to its attention, the Director implored residents of the State to explore the channels of complaints made available by the directorate.
She, therefore, assured all residents that the Directorate of Citizens Rights, under the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, is always ready to intervene in all wrongful acts towards providing an amicable solution.
