The Legal Unit is a unit under the Director -General’s office and was established immediately the Agency was established.
Its core function is to advice the Agency and its management on legal issues generally. The unit is manned by Legal Practitioners who prosecute cases for and defend the Agency in court proceedings.
It handles drafting of contracts and other legal documents. It is the custodian of the legal seal and all Agency’s legal documents.
LEGAL UNIT UPDATE
1. In March 2011, in a considered judgment, the Federal High agreed with the argument of the NEMA legal team to the effect that NEMA was not a neccesary party and therefore sruck out NEMA’s name from the suit.
2. The legal unit is currently assisting the external solicitor Agustine Alegeh(SAN) in the international Arbitration case involving the Agency and the LGC.LTD. over a dispute resulting from the failure of LGC to supply an MI-17 SAR helicopter after recieving 50% payment to that effect. the matter is at an advance stage.
3. The Legal unit is working with another Legal consultant A.A.Aliyu & Co and a Professor of humanitarian law towards amending the NEMA Act, to bring in tune with current realities, especially the protection of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and International best practices on disaster management.
4. The Legal Unit continues routinely to advise the Director-General, Management and Staff of the Agency on adherence to the various laws regulating the various aspects of the agency, including adherence to the provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.
5. It handles other responsibilities as may be assigned from time to time by the Director – General of the Agency.
LEGAL ADVISER
The Legal Adviser heads the Legal Unit and is also a member of management.
TANKO ASHANG ESQ was born on 23 rd October, 1970. He is a native of BUSI in OBANLIKU Local Government, in Cross River State. He attended Central Primary School, Sankwala, Obanliku (1976- 81), Community Secondary School, Sankwala, Obanliku (1981-86), Federal School of Arts & Science, Ogoja (1987-88). He obtained his LL.B from University of Jos in 1992, BL from the Nigeria Law School, Lagos in 1993 and LLM from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 2009.
His work experiences include:
- State prosecutor- Federal Ministry of Justice
- Legal Assistant to The Attorney- General of the Federation and Honourable Minister of Justice
- Assistant Legal Adviser- Nigerian Custom Services, Headquarters
- Assistant Legal Adviser- Federal Inland Revenue Services, Headquarters
- Legal Adviser- National Emergency Management Agency
- He is a member of many professional bodies such as:
- International Bar Association
- Nigerian Bar Association
- Nigerian Society of International Law
- Defence Institute of International Legal Studies