MEMBERS

NBA VOWS TO PROSECUTE CULRPITS OVER AGC FRACAS

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has stated that it would prosecute its members found to have been culpable in the invasion of the centre where the 2022 Annual General Conference (AGC) materials were to be distributed.

In a statement made available to CITY LAWYER by NBA Publicity Secretary, Mr. Habeeb Lawal, NBA President, Mr. Yakubu Maikyau SAN said that “the conduct of our colleagues involved in the incident borders on possible violations of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners and other relevant laws applicable in Lagos State.”

He added that as a promoter of the rule of law, “the NBA has a duty to ensure that such incident does not reoccur and all those who are complicit are brought to book.”

Maikyau stated this while inaugurating a 15-member committee to investigate the incident.

The full text of the statement reads:

INAUGURATION OF CONFERENCE INCIDENT INVESTIGATION COMMITTEE

Dear Distinguished Colleagues,

1. The NBA President, Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau, SAN has inaugurated the Conference Incident Investigation Committee (the committee) to investigate the incident that occurred on the sidelines of the just concluded 62nd Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association at Eko Atlantic City, Victoria Island, Lagos, at the venue for distribution of conference materials. The inauguration held in the course of a virtual meeting held with members of the committee, yesterday, 5th September, 2022.

2. Members of the committee are –

i. Olawale Fapohunda, SAN – Chairman
ii. CP Lough Simon Asamber SAN – Alternate Chairman
iii. Oyinkan Badejo
iv. Mrs. Toluwalope Aderiye
v. Ada Edozie
vi. Daniel Onwe
vii. Mujahid Muhammed
viii. Lucky Ekarume
ix. Chinyere Nworah
x. Adama Mohammed
xi. Shehu Sani Idris
xii. Oyindamola Fashakin – Secretary
xiii. ThankGod-Mina Hope Obeten
xiv. Folashade Owolabi.
xv. Tongshishak John Jude Danjuma

3. In his address at the inauguration of the committee, the NBA President stated that “the conduct of our colleagues involved in the incident borders on possible violations of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners and other relevant laws applicable in Lagos State.” And as a promoter of the rule of law, the NBA has a duty to ensure that such incident does not reoccur and all those who are complicit are brought to book.

4. The committee was therefore handed the following terms of reference:

i) Investigate the said incident; the immediate and remote cause(s) of the same, and identify the persons involved therein.

ii) Make recommendations concerning the matters stated above, taking into consideration the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), Constitution of the Nigerian Bar Association, 2015 (as amended in 2021), Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners 2007 and other relevant legislations, policies and guidelines.

The committee is expected to submit its Report (Findings and Recommendations) within a period of 4 weeks from the date of the inauguration.

5. The NBA President thanks members of this committee for accepting to serve.

AKOREDE HABEEB LAWAL
National Publicity Secretary, Nigerian Bar Association

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SAFIYA BALARABE HAILS NBA-NEC MEMBERS ON ILORIN MEET

FEATURED

PROMINENT CANDIDATE FOR NBA TREASURER, SAFIYA BALARABE EXTENDS GOODWILL MESSAGE TO ALL NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS ON THE OCCASION OF ITS QUARTERLY MEETING

Safiya Balarabe, a leading candidate for NBA Treasurer has sent a goodwill message to delegates attending the quarterly meeting of the National Executive Council (“NEC”) in Ilorin, Kwara State. In her message, the Treasurer, NBA Women Forum wished all delegates safe travels and fruitful deliberations.

Read below her message.

“It is that time of the year again when we converge as representatives of the various branches, committees and fora of the NBA to rub minds with a view to further strengthening our stance and prospects as a body of learned personalities.

As you gather tomorrow, 9th June, 2022 in Ilorin, it is my prayer that you will as usual deploy your best inputs so as to take the NBA to even greater heights.

Let me also use this medium to will delegates journeying down to Ilorin safe and stress free travels.

I wish us fruitful deliberations.

Thank you and God bless”

Signed:

  1. Safiya Balarabe, Treasurer, NBA Women Forum and Candidate for the position of NBA Treasurer 2022-2024 Continue Reading
  • EDITOR'S CHOICE
  • Nov 18, 2021
  • 0
  • Comments Off on ENDSARS PANEL: ‘I DID NOT COLLECT ANY BRIBE,’ SAYS ADEGBORUWA

ENDSARS PANEL: ‘I DID NOT COLLECT ANY BRIBE,’ SAYS ADEGBORUWA

A member of the Lagos State ENDSARS Panel, Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa SAN has denied allegations that members of the panel received bribe in the course of discharging their duty.
Noting that panel members are being targeted for vilification by agents for state, Adegboruwa described this as “unfair, ungodly and least expected” and urged Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to rein in the perpetrators.
Below is the full text of the post on his Facebook page.
ENDSARS PANEL MEMBERS ARE BEING UNFAIRLY PERSECUTED
Since the submission of the EndSARS Panel Report to the Governor of Lagos State on November 15, 2021, members of the Panel have become subject of vicious attacks by those suspected to be agents of the government.
All manner of allegations have been heaped upon Panel Members, some of who have been called unprintable names.
I can confirm that no Member of the Panel lobbied to be appointed into the Panel. As a matter fact in my own case, His Excellency, the Governor of Lagos State, appealed to me to accept my appointment, which I saw as a call to national service. The primary reason the Governor gave to me then was that he wanted men and women of integrity, independent and not subject to manipulation, to be on the Panel.
Just today, my attention has been drawn to an interview by a Senior Counsel to the Lagos State Government, to the effect that Panel Members collected bribe in the course of the assignment. It is unfair, ungodly and least expected of the government and its lawyers.
The Lagos State Government asked for two weeks to enable it release a White Paper on the report submitted to it by the Panel. And we have been waiting, but it would seem that the Lagos State Government has now unleashed mindless propaganda upon Panel Members whilst at the same time asking for restraint from the general public.
I have in my custody, certified true copies of ALL proceedings of the Panel and all exhibits tendered before the Panel in respect of the Lekki Toll Gate Investigation. I urge the government to call its agents and lawyers to order so as not to provoke aggravated responses.
It is unfair to seek to denigrate peoples’ hard-earned reputation on account only that they accepted to render selfless service at the behest of government. If the government and its agents are not restrained from attacking others, nothing stops us from defending our integrity.
I should not become a victim of unwarranted attack just because I accepted to serve the government and the outcome of that assignment did not favour the expectations of the government. Suffice it to mention that I worked with men and women of unblemished integrity and I’m proud to be associated with them all.
I therefore appeal to His Excellency the Governor of Lagos State to call all agents of State to order and to keep to his promise to us to release a White Paper within two weeks and to send the unedited report of the Panel, to the National Economic Council.
God bless Nigeria.
Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN
Lekki, Lagos.
18/11/2021.
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  • EDITOR'S CHOICE
  • Apr 19, 2021
  • 4
  • Comments Off on JUSUN STRIKE: ANXIETY, AS NBA IKEJA BOYCOTTS LAGOS BRANCHES’ PARLEY WITH SANWO-OLU TOMORROW

JUSUN STRIKE: ANXIETY, AS NBA IKEJA BOYCOTTS LAGOS BRANCHES’ PARLEY WITH SANWO-OLU TOMORROW

  • LAGOS, BADAGRY, EPE AND IKORODU BRANCHES TO ATTEND

  • CONFUSION OVER PARTICIPATION OF BRANCH MEMBERS

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja Branch has vowed to boycott a meeting of all Lagos branches with Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu scheduled for “Lagos House,” Marina tomorrow.

In a telephone interview with CITY LAWYER, NBA Ikeja Branch Chairman, Mr. Batholomew Aguegbodo said: “I can tell you for free that I will not be there. We complied with the NBA President’s directive by embarking on our protest march today in line with our tradition as Tiger Branch. I tried to move the other branches to join us today but they gave sundry reasons on why it is impossible for them to do so. I respect their position. We shall return to the streets on Monday if by then the State Governors had not complied with JUSUN’s demand.”

However, the four other branches comprising Lagos, Badagry, Epe and Ikorodu will meet with the Governor tomorrow by 10:30 am. CITY LAWYER gathered that the branch chairmen may have agreed to converge on “Lagos House” by 10 am prior to the meeting with the Sanwo-Olu. The meeting is being facilitated by former Bar Leader and Lagos State Attorney-General & Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo, SAN.

While it was gathered that only three members from each branch would be permitted to go into the meeting with the Governor, it was unclear at press time whether branch members would be allowed to mass around the premises. This comes against the backdrop of conflicting signals from the branches regarding the level of participation of their members.

While Lagos Branch may have restricted participation to the official three-man delegation and very senior lawyers who may insist on attending, Epe and Ikorodu branch chairmen told CITY LAWYER that all their members who wish to attend have been fully mobilized to storm “Lagos House” in their numbers.

According to Mr. Ademola Koko, NBA Epe Branch Chairman, “Everybody is coming. We have mobilized all our members. We are coming in three buses which we have hired.”

This was echoed by NBA Ikorodu Branch Chairman, Mr. Abimbola Ojedokun who told CITY LAWYER that “We are going with our members. All those who are available will accompany us on the visit.”

The branches may have however conceded to shun display of placards so as not to “embarrass” the Governor. A source told CITY LAWYER that while Epe Branch has agreed to display its banners at the Epe High Court, Badagry Branch may have directed its members to display their banners at the Lagos High Court, Igbosere.

In a press statement personally signed by the NBA President, Mr. Olumide Akpata, the association had at the weekend asked all NBA branches “to effectively mobilize their members and pay visits to their respective State Governors at the Government Houses on Monday, 19th April 2021 to press home the demand for implementation of financial autonomy for the Judiciary. At the visit, NBA Branches in each State are to present a joint written demand to their State Governor requesting full compliance with existing legislative instruments and court judgments on the financial autonomy of the Judiciary.”

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