The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has issued a sweeping communiqué following its quarterly meeting in Benin City, delivering some of its strongest positions yet on national security, judicial reforms, governance, and the state of the legal profession.
The meeting, held on November 20 and attended by national officers, past presidents, branch leaders, and observers, reviewed the condition of the Bar and the country at large. The council warned that a deteriorating justice system, rising insecurity, and increased political interference are threatening the rule of law in Nigeria.
NBA Raises Alarm Over Arbitrary Arrests, Security Agency Abuse
NEC, according to the communiqué signed by NBA President Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, and General Secretary Dr Mobolaji Ojibara, expressed “deep concern” over widespread arbitrary arrests and repeated disregard for court orders, noting what it described as a troubling trend of security agencies interfering in civil matters. The association warned that such abuses “undermine the integrity of the justice system and violate constitutional guarantees.”
The council also condemned what it called the “partisan conduct” of the police during the recent PDP leadership crisis and criticised courts issuing conflicting orders, urging discipline within the security architecture and restraint within the judiciary.
Major Reforms: Electoral Committee, Judicial Review Body, and Lagos House Probe
The Bar approved the constitution of the Electoral Committee of the NBA (ECNBA) to oversee the 2026 national elections, stressing transparency and technological reliability. Aham Ejelam, SAN, will chair the committee.
In response to concerns over contradictory appellate court judgments, NEC established the Editorial Committee of the Adjudicature Review Committee, tasked with producing a quarterly Nigeria Adjudicature Review to strengthen judicial scholarship and coherence.
NEC also ordered a sweeping review of the troubled Build-Operate-Transfer agreement for the NBA Lagos House—long plagued by revenue shortfalls—appointing Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, to lead an inquiry into the stalled project.
Pardons, Clemency, and Calls for Legal Reform
Addressing President Bola Tinubu’s controversial pardons of 175 convicts—including individuals convicted of murder, drug trafficking, unlawful mining, and armed robbery—NEC warned that such decisions “undermined accountability and public confidence.” The Bar, however, welcomed the President’s reversal of several pardons.
NEC insisted on the urgent need for a statutory framework to regulate presidential clemency powers to ensure transparency, protection of victims’ rights, and insulation from politics.
Security Crisis: NBA Calls for State Police, Tech-Driven Policing, and an End to Amnesty Deals
In one of its most forceful positions, NEC declared that Nigeria’s escalating insecurity—marked by mass killings, kidnappings, and destruction of property—reflects a “failed” and “over-centralised” security architecture.
The council demanded:
- Decentralised security control and establishment of state and local government police
- Deployment of modern surveillance tools, including drones and cyber-tracking
- A secure civilian self-protection licensing regime
- Stronger border monitoring
- An end to negotiations or amnesty for terrorists and bandits
- Rejection of integrating “repentant terrorists” into security agencies
NEC also called for urgent action to rescue abducted schoolgirls in Kebbi State and address the killing of Brigadier-General M. Uba in Borno.
Judicial Sector: Appointments, Working Conditions, and Controversies
The Bar criticised the “neglect” of private practitioners in recent judicial appointment shortlists, which it said overwhelmingly favoured Ministry of Justice officials. It called for amendments to the National Judicial Council (NJC) guidelines, including written competency examinations.
NEC also decried unsafe working conditions for magistrates, particularly in Ondo State, and condemned the playing of partisan political music at the All-Nigerian Judges Conference, demanding a public apology.
On structural reforms, NEC approved a three-year tenure for NBA representatives on the Council of Legal Education to strengthen institutional memory.
Trump’s Comments, Abuja Clash, and Abuse of Police Powers
NEC expressed concern over U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent remarks suggesting potential deployment of American troops to Nigeria, warning that such comments “risk inflaming tensions” and undermine national sovereignty.
The council also condemned the confrontation between the FCT Minister and military personnel in Abuja, insisting that land-related enforcement must follow due process—not force.
NEC further denounced the Lagos State Commissioner of Police for unlawfully declaring activist Omoyele Sowore “wanted,” insisting that only a court may issue such proclamations.
Legal Actions, New Branches, and Rehabilitation Initiatives
The Bar announced ongoing litigation challenging the police’s refusal to convert qualified legal practitioners within its ranks into the specialist legal cadre, as well as a suit contesting the police’s tinted-glass permit regime.
NEC also approved nine new NBA branches and unveiled a Post-Custodial Rehabilitation Fund to support the reintegration of former inmates after observing conditions at Kuje Correctional Centre.
The meeting ended with the announcement of the 2026 Annual General Conference Planning Committee, chaired by Abdul Mohammed, SAN.
