NBA President Reacts To Detention Of Inibehe Effiong

The President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Olumide Akpata, has said that Inibehe Effiong, the lawyer sent to prison by the Akwa Ibom Chief Judge, Ekaette Obot, will be released “shortly”.

The NBA president, Mr Akpata, said he is concerned about Mr Effiong’s detention in prison.

“Since receiving the news, I have been in touch with the Chairman of the NBA Uyo Branch who has mobilised his team to look into and address this,” Mr Akpata, said on Thursday via Twitter.

“This morning, I also mandated the NBA 1st Vice President to visit Uyo immediately to join ongoing efforts and ensure Mr Effiong’s release.

“The NBA is therefore on top of this, and I am confident that Mr Effiong will regain his freedom shortly,” he said.

“While not going into the merits of this particular matter yet, suffice it to say that the Nigerian Bar Association is strongly opposed to, and will continue to resist all attempts to intimidate, threaten or harass our members while properly carrying out their professional responsibilities.

“The Nigerian Bar Association will also not condone acts of indiscipline and insubordination against judicial officers from our members no matter the provocation. Ours is a rule-based profession and there is a procedure for airing grievances,” the NBA president added.

He said the NBA would investigate to determine what transpired between Mr Effiong and Mrs Obot, before deciding on the next steps.

Mr Effiong is a lawyer to a defendant, Leo Ekpenyong, in a defamation suit in which the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel, is the plaintiff.

The case is before Mrs Obot’s court in Uyo, although Mr Effiong had requested that the judge recuse herself from it.

Mrs Obot on Wednesday sent Mr Effiong to prison for alleged contempt of court.

But the lawyer said he did not insult the judge or did anything wrong during the proceedings.

Meanwhile, the NBA, Ikot Ekpene branch, paid a solidarity visit on Thursday to Mr Effiong at the Ikot Ekpene prison.

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