Mid-West Bar Forum urges IGP and Edo, Delta CPs to call their officers to order over area commanders demanding money before receiving and acting on petitions

Resolution

The Mid-West Bar Forum (MWBF), the umbrella body of lawyers practising in both Edo and Delta States, held its quarterly meeting on July 5, 2025, at the NBA Benin branch Bar House. In attendance were Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Life Benchers, current Chairmen, past Chairmen, and members of the 14 branches that constitute the Forum. Critical issues affecting the region and the legal profession were among the top issues that were deliberated at the meeting.

The Forum passed certain resolutions at the meeting, which include:

1. That the MWBF expresses its dissatisfaction with the state of the roads in both Edo and Delta States, particularly the Benin-Warri highway, the Benin-Auchi highway and the Benin-Asaba highway. The Forum noted that these roads are in serious dilapidated state and are now death traps. Lawyers now find it challenging to attend courts in Benin City, Warri, and Asaba, and in some cases have to farm out their cases to colleagues residing in those cities, due to the poor roads. The MWBF appeals to the Minister of Works to provide palliative measures on the aforementioned Roads during this rainy season to alleviate the suffering of motorists pending full rehabilitation of the roads.
2. The MWBF States that while it condemns all acts of criminality, including cultism and kidnapping and urges security agencies to arrest and prosecute any person involved in such crimes, the Forum, however, urges the Edo State Government to adhere to the rule of law in dealing with matters of crime. In this wise, the Forum urges the Edo State Government to exercise extreme restraint in the indiscriminate demolition of buildings allegedly used in connection with cultism and kidnapping. Every Nigerian has a constitutional right to fair hearing and ought to be subjected to criminal trial and a conviction obtained before his building would be confiscated by the Government, as expressly provided by Section 5 of the Edo State Kidnapping Prohibition (Amendment) Law, 2025. To this end, the MWBF resolved to set up a Litigation Committee to challenge any violation of the constitutional rights of citizens and residents of Edo State under the guise of implementing the provisions of Edo State Kidnapping Prohibition (Amendment) Law, 2025. The MWBF insist that the Edo State Government must comply strictly with the provisions of its Laws.
3. The MWBF commends the NBA Warri branch for challenging the impunity of revenue agents/collectors on the public roads and obtaining a High Court Judgment prohibiting revenue agents/collectors from being on public roads in Delta State. The MWBF calls on the Nigerian Police, the Commissioner of Police, Delta State Police Command and other security agencies in the State to ensure that criminal elements posing as revenue agents/collectors for the Delta State Government are flushed out from the public roads and arrested. This measure is necessary as the Delta State Government Revenue Office have since the Judgment withdrawn all its revenue agents/collectors from the public roads and has distanced itself from these criminal elements who are still posing as revenue agents/collectors on public roads.
4. The attention of the MWBF was brought to the fact that the Police Area Commands in both Delta and Edo States are now demanding for payment of money before accepting Petitions from Lawyers. The payment of money has now become a condition precedent for accepting and investigating Petitions by Police Area Commands. The MWBF condemns in strong terms this illegal practice and calls on the Inspector General of Police and the Commissioners of Police of both Edo and Delta States to call their Officers to order and ensure that this aberration is stopped immediately.
5. In preparation for the NBA Annual General Conference, 2025 holding in Enugu, the Forum constituted the David-Maduku led Enugu AGC Social Committee to organize a get together for members of the Forum in Enugu during the AGC.

Signed: Kunle Edun, SAN, Chairman

Kelly O. Ogbe, Esq., Secretary