The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Nigerian
Bar Association (NBA) has condemned the rising cases of police
harassment of lawyers at work.
It called on NBA to immediately engage the Inspector-General of
Police to end acts of brutality against lawyers who are
representing their clients.
This was one of the resolutions reached while discussing the
state of the nation at the NEC NBA meeting held at the Kwara State
Banquet Hall in Ilorin.
At the meeting were national officers led by NBA President
Abubakar Mahmoud (SAN), past general secretaries, chairmen and
secretaries of sections, NEC members numbering 327, co-opted NEC
members from various branches and 226 pre-registered observers.
After the president’s opening remarks, minutes of previous
meeting were read, with corrections made and adopted.
The NBA chief presented his speech, in which he welcomed members
and expressed gratitude to Kwara State for accepting to host the
NEC.
He spoke on the state of the nation, frowning at the rising
spate of insecurity across the nation and bemoaning the Federal
Government’s inability to effectively discharge its constitutional
role of protecting lives and property.
On the forthcoming NBA elections, he called on Bar leaders to
join hands with him as he seeks to sanitise the leadership
succession system in the NBA.
Mahmoud deplored the abuse of social media by lawyers and
proliferation of NBA social media accounts, warning that the
association would take disciplinary action against those tarnishing
NBA’s name. The NBA President’s speech was adopted.
NEC observed the need for NBA to be more responsive in keeping
the government in check with regards to rising cases of insecurity
and rights violations across the country.
It decried the government’s glaring failure or lack of capacity
to tame the bloodbath, and urged the Federal Government to sit up
to its responsibilities.
Afterwards, the NBA General Secretary the secretariat report on
bar activities, national officers’ reports, and informed NEC that
about N338million was still being owed the NBA House project
contractors, with about N576 million still needed to complete
it.
The NBA National Treasurer Ms Aisha Abdullahi presented the
budget proposal, adding that most branches have been paid their bar
practicing fees entitlements.
The KPMG Diagnostic report was presented. Among its
recommendations are the need for NBA to undertake a governance
reform to streamline multiple levels of governance and authority,
need to fully empower the secretariat and review the relevance of
part time national officers, need for a defined organogram with
clear job descriptions, among others.
There were reports by sections and committees, as well as a
report by the constitutional review committee, which recommended
far-reaching changes in NBA governance structure, such as need to
scrap some national offices, need for migration to state bar
structure, among others.
The welfare committee chaired by Second Vice President Monday
Ubani said it recommended N50,000 minimum wage for lawyers and half
the amount for those under the NYSC scheme.
NEC welcomed the minimum wage idea, but expressed reservation on
its implementability.
After the reports, the NEC approved the constitution of the
Electoral Committee but rejected the fifth nominee Mr Kekemeke Tobi
becuase he was supporting a candidate.
The Onitsha Branch chairman presented a report on police
brutality against a female lawyer in Anambra State, with NEC
condemning such acts.
NEC decried the rising level of disunity and lack of
collaboration with the country’s security agencies.
It called on the Federal Government to take serious steps at
addressing what it called a dangerous security lapse in order to
properly safeguard the country.
NEC also wants the Federal Government to tackle the alarming
rate of unemployment, particularly among junior lawyers, urging
senior lawyers to take up the task of creating employment for the
younger lawyers.
The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Nigerian
Bar Association (NBA) has condemned the rising cases of police
harassment of lawyers at work.
It called on NBA to immediately engage the Inspector-General of
Police to end acts of brutality against lawyers who are
representing their clients.
This was one of the resolutions reached while discussing the
state of the nation at the NEC NBA meeting held at the Kwara State
Banquet Hall in Ilorin.
At the meeting were national officers led by NBA President
Abubakar Mahmoud (SAN), past general secretaries, chairmen and
secretaries of sections, NEC members numbering 327, co-opted NEC
members from various branches and 226 pre-registered observers.
After the president’s opening remarks, minutes of previous
meeting were read, with corrections made and adopted.
The NBA chief presented his speech, in which he welcomed members
and expressed gratitude to Kwara State for accepting to host the
NEC.
He spoke on the state of the nation, frowning at the rising
spate of insecurity across the nation and bemoaning the Federal
Government’s inability to effectively discharge its constitutional
role of protecting lives and property.
On the forthcoming NBA elections, he called on Bar leaders to
join hands with him as he seeks to sanitise the leadership
succession system in the NBA.
Mahmoud deplored the abuse of social media by lawyers and
proliferation of NBA social media accounts, warning that the
association would take disciplinary action against those tarnishing
NBA’s name. The NBA President’s speech was adopted.
NEC observed the need for NBA to be more responsive in keeping
the government in check with regards to rising cases of insecurity
and rights violations across the country.
It decried the government’s glaring failure or lack of capacity
to tame the bloodbath, and urged the Federal Government to sit up
to its responsibilities.
Afterwards, the NBA General Secretary the secretariat report on
bar activities, national officers’ reports, and informed NEC that
about N338million was still being owed the NBA House project
contractors, with about N576 million still needed to complete
it.
The NBA National Treasurer Ms Aisha Abdullahi presented the
budget proposal, adding that most branches have been paid their bar
practicing fees entitlements.
The KPMG Diagnostic report was presented. Among its
recommendations are the need for NBA to undertake a governance
reform to streamline multiple levels of governance and authority,
need to fully empower the secretariat and review the relevance of
part time national officers, need for a defined organogram with
clear job descriptions, among others.
There were reports by sections and committees, as well as a
report by the constitutional review committee, which recommended
far-reaching changes in NBA governance structure, such as need to
scrap some national offices, need for migration to state bar
structure, among others.
The welfare committee chaired by Second Vice President Monday
Ubani said it recommended N50,000 minimum wage for lawyers and half
the amount for those under the NYSC scheme.
NEC welcomed the minimum wage idea, but expressed reservation on
its implementability.
After the reports, the NEC approved the constitution of the
Electoral Committee but rejected the fifth nominee Mr Kekemeke Tobi
becuase he was supporting a candidate.
The Onitsha Branch chairman presented a report on police
brutality against a female lawyer in Anambra State, with NEC
condemning such acts.
NEC decried the rising level of disunity and lack of
collaboration with the country’s security agencies.
It called on the Federal Government to take serious steps at
addressing what it called a dangerous security lapse in order to
properly safeguard the country.
NEC also wants the Federal Government to tackle the alarming
rate of unemployment, particularly among junior lawyers, urging
senior lawyers to take up the task of creating employment for the
younger lawyers.
Read more https://www.nairalaw.com/nba-to-police-stop-harassing-lawyers/