NBA protests alleged unlawful detention of member in Ibadan

Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ibadan branch, on Thursday, staged a peaceful protest against the arrest of one of its members, Barr Phillip Ojo by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Ibadan.

The branch chairman, Barr Ibrahim Lawal, led. the protest, which took off from the state Secretariat of the NBA to the EFCC zonal office at Iyaganku in the Ibadan South West local government area.

The protesters are demanding, amongst other things, an unconditional release of their colleagues and their personal belongings.

They described the action of the EFCC as illegal and flagrant abuse of human rights.

Armed with placards with inscriptions such as “Orji Chukwuma cannot continue to act with impunity” and “Harassment and intimidation of lawyers must stop,” the protesters vowed not to leave the EFCC premises until their demands were met.

It was alleged that Ojo was arrested and detained alongside the Court bailiff while trying to serve the agency with a court process.

The bailiff, as reliably gathered, had been released while Ojo was still in the custody of the EFCC.

The EFCC action triggered a peaceful protest by the members of the NBA to address an alleged injustice.

The EFCC official, to douse the build-up tension, sought for a meeting between the representatives of the agency and the lawyers.

The chairman nominated five of its members for a closed-door meeting with the Agency.

The meeting is ongoing at the time of filing the report.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that.the detainee was arrested on August 21st, 2024, while carrying out his lawful duty as a legal practitioner, accompanying a court bailiff to serve a court process on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

According to the NBA Ibadan Branch, the EFCC Ibadan Command’s actions towards lawyers have been a persistent issue. The immediate past executive of the bar, under the chairmanship of Mrs. Folasade Aladeniyi, had previously met with the commission to address this matter. However, the meeting appears to have yielded no results, as the acts of disrespect towards lawyers continue unabated.

The branch chairman is hereby demanding the immediate release of his members alongside his personal belongings.

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