By Bob MajiriOghene Etemiku
Abuja – Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) President, Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau (SAN), has inaugurated a fifteen-person committee to investigate the incident that occurred over the distribution of conference materials at the just-concluded 62nd Annual General Conference of the legal body in Lagos State.
The inauguration held in the course of a virtual meeting held with members of the committee, yesterday, 6th September 2022.
A statement from Akorede Habeeb Lawal, National Publicity Secretary of the NBA stated members of the incident investigation committee include Olawale Fapohunda (SAN), Chairman; CP Lough Simon Asamber (SAN), Alternate Chairman and Oyindamola Fashakin (Secretary).
According to the statement, the NBA President stated at the inauguration that the conduct of “our colleagues involved in the incident borders on possible violations of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners & other relevant laws applicable in Lagos State.”
Terms of reference of the Incident Investigation committee include investigating the remote and immediate causes of the incident identify the persons involved. The Committee is to make recommendations taking into consideration the CFRN 1999 (as amended), Constitution of the Nigerian Bar Association, 2015 (as amended in 2021), RPC 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.
It would be recalled that at the NBA AGC which took place in August at the Eko Atlantic City in Lagos, Nigerians were shocked to watch lawyers scramble for bags and other conference souvenirs and resort to violence.
“Our colleagues stole bags. Our colleagues stole phones. Our colleagues beat up staff because we have video evidence. We’re going to get the experts to look through those videos and you have my assurance, and you have (incoming NBA President) YC (Maikyau)’s assurance that anybody found culpable for embarrassing our association and our nation like this will definitely be sanctioned,” outgone NBA president Olumide Akpata said at a post-conference briefing.
