 Legal Aid Council of Nigeria 1. The Legal Aid Council of Nigeria was established by Legal Aid Act No 56 of 1976 (now repealed and re-enacted as Legal Act 2011) is a parastatal under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Justice. The Council is charged with the statutory responsibility of providing free Legal Representation, Legal Assistance, Legal Advice, to indigent Nigerians. The Council engages salaried lawyers and coordinates the activities of lawyers who provide pro bono services Besides its jurisdiction over such cases as murder manslaughter, rape, stealing, common assault occasioning actual bodily harm, affray, malicious or willful wounding, conspiracy, aiding and abetting and armed robbery cases, it also undertakes civil claims in respect of (a) accidents (b) breaches of fundamental rights and intervenes in civil matters resulting from criminal prosecutions. In addition to the above the Council provides mediation services in all its state offices as her contribution to promoting Alternative Dispute Resolution. The Legal Aid Council introduced and implemented different projects aimed at strengthening and expanding the quality and quantity of its services across the state and local government centres. 24