NBA, Law Enforcement Agencies, Discuss How To Eradicate Harassment Of Lawyers By Security Operatives

The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, on Tuesday, decried what it termed as rising cases of harrasment of legal practitioners by various law enforcement agencies in the country.

The NBA held a town hall meeting in conjunction with law enforcement agencies, in order to curb and eradicate bickering and conflict, the members of the Association face in the hands of law enforcement officers in the course of discharging their duties to their clients.

Speaking at the maiden hybrid town hall meeting which was held in Abuja with the theme,” Lawyers, Security Agents and the Rule of Law”, President of the NBA, Mr. Olumide Akpata, noted that in the run up to the 2019 general elections, there were numerous cases of harrasment of lawyers by security agencies.

Akpata, who was represented by the 1st Vice President of the association, Mr. Aipokpo Martins, stressed that since January when the committee was inaugurated, it has made more than 15 interventions, among which included the harrasment of a lawyer by Custom officers.

He said the essence of the town hall meeting of the Committee was for stakeholders to deliberate and find lasting solutions that would ensure that lawyers are allowed to function effectively without fear.

Akpata further harped on the need for legal practitioners and security operatives to learn how to discharge their respective functions within the ambit of the Rule of Law.

The chairman, NBA-Security Agencies Relations Committee (NBA-SARC), Chief Joe Gadzama, SAN, lauded Akpata for setting up the NBA SARC which he said would ensure the safety and welfare of all legal practitioners in the country.

Gadzama, SAN, therefore, called for support of all Chairmen of the NBA across the federation as well as lawyers, to ensure the actualization of the mandate of the Committee.

“The committee can only achieve its goals if it gets maximum support of all members.

“I therefore urge members to report security issues involving lawyers to the Committee.

“The Committee will constantly interface with all security agencies in the country”, Gadzama added, noting that the motto of NBA is the promotion of the rule of law.

In his presentation, the first policeman to be conferred with the rank of SAN, DCP Simon Lough, maintained that the history of conflict between security agencies and lawyers, dated back to the colonial period, when notable lawyers like Chief Obafemi Awomolo and Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, were pushing for independence of the country.

He recalled that the conflict became more visible during the military era.

Lough, SAN, further identified “pride” as one of the causes of conflict between security agencies and lawyers.

“Most of the times when lawyers visit security agencies, they carry that pride. Most times they demean security officers.

“Another one is that most lawyers lack diplomacy. This, makes them to some times, complicate the case of their client. We have to be diplomatic in whatever we do.

“Likewise, there is the issue of undue interference with duties of security officers handling cases. Sometimes, when an officer is interviewing parties, lawyers would interfere.

“I remember this particular case where a lawyer that went to bail his client, engaged in a fight at the police station.

“It is instructive to note that 90% of activities done by lawyers in the country, are activated by actions of security agencies”, Lough, SAN, added.

The hybrid town hall meeting had representatives from Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security & Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

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