* Conflict in North East: NBA president appeals to
stakeholders to moderate their utterances
The President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Abubakar Balarabe
Mahmoud, OON, SAN, FCIArb (UK), has once more reiterated the
commitment of the Nigerian Bar Association in protecting and
promoting the human rights of internally displaced persons in the
North Eastern part of Nigeria and other remote areas in Nigeria.
This was made known at the opening of the training workshop for
Nigerian lawyers on the legal rights and protection of internally
displaced person in North-East Nigeria that was held at the
intentional training institute, Maitama FCT Abuja, on Monday, the
12th day of February, 2018.
The program which is organized by the Nigerian Bar Association
in conjunction with the Human Rights Committee of the Bar Council
of England and Wales with funding from Role UK and UK Aid is geared
primarily at equipping NBA members with the tools necessary to aid
them in the provision of pro-bono legal services to Internally
Displaced Persons in the North East Region. The president in his
remarks stated that the Nigerian Bar Association has received
support from the Dangote Foundation which has made it possible for
them to bring in participants from the North East and indeed from
across the country to Abuja as against the earlier plan to host
training somewhere in the North East.
He stated also that the Nigerian Bar Association has, as part of
its public interest engagements prioritized the Conflict in the
North East Region and the Niger Delta. According to him, back in
August 2016, he announced the establishment of two task forces to
coordinate the NBA’s intervention in both regions which to him, is
making considerable impact in these areas. The NBA president noted
that there are indeed many cases of human right abuse due to the
conflict in the north east, thus there is a dare need to solve the
problem with all that is needed to achieve it.
His words:
“The insurgency has led to near collapse of justice sector
institutions particularly in parts of Bornu, Yobe and Adamawa
States. The NBA cannot remain aloof to the situation. To rebuild
the justice system and to offer assistance the victims of the
insurgency is a major component of the humanitarian intervention
that is much needed in the North-East Region. We are therefore
determined to contribute the little we can to address these
problems.
We are grateful that the Bar Council is offering us this support
in training our members to be better able to assist the victims of
this conflict.”
“The Nigerian Bar Association is taking a keen interest in these
areas and we are working to support conflict resolution and
prevention and offering support to the victims. Recently, I led a
team of our members to Benue State to show our concern over the
rising conflict in the State between Herdsmen and Farmers which has
led to killings, reprisals and displacements especially of women
and children. We are putting together our report which will shortly
be made public. However, I wish to appeal to all Stakeholders and
especially political, religious and community leaders to show
moderation in their utterances and to work towards building
compromises so as to deescalate tension and to seek long term
solution to the crisis.”
Speaking further, the NBA president stated that much has already
been put in place to solve the problem. According to him, the NBA
is also involved in trial observations.
“Only yesterday, a team of our members led by the 1st Vice
President of the NBA, Mr. Caleb Dajan, left for New Bussa in Niger
State on trial observation mission at the resumed trials of the
Boko Haram suspects. We are also currently working with other Civil
Society groups with the Support of MacArthur Foundation to develop
a transitional justice legal and policy framework for Nigeria
learning from the experiences of other African Countries. All of
these work require training of our members which we hope to
intensify in the coming months.” he said.
He therefore thanked Kirsty Brimelow QC, the Chairperson of the
Bar Human Rights Committee and her team as well as others for the
partnership put in place in achieving the desired goals.
“I am delighted that the Bar Council will be partnering with the
NBA in equipping our members and sharpening their skills to
undertake these major interventions which we are certain will aid
the promotion and protection of human rights and access to justice
across the country. These trainings will therefore continue and we
hope to reach as many of our members as possible. I am happy that
the Bar Human Rights Committee of Bar Council is willing to assist
us in this regard. Indeed, at the end of this ceremony, as
testimony to this, we will be signing an MOU that will commit both
the NBA and the Bar Council Human Rights Committee to promote our
long term engagements”, he added.
* Conflict in North East: NBA president appeals to
stakeholders to moderate their utterances
The President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Abubakar Balarabe
Mahmoud, OON, SAN, FCIArb (UK), has once more reiterated the
commitment of the Nigerian Bar Association in protecting and
promoting the human rights of internally displaced persons in the
North Eastern part of Nigeria and other remote areas in Nigeria.
This was made known at the opening of
the training workshop for Nigerian lawyers on the legal rights and
protection of internally displaced person in North-East Nigeria
that was held at the intentional training institute, Maitama FCT
Abuja, on Monday, the 12th day of February, 2018.
The program which is organized by the Nigerian Bar Association
in conjunction with the Human Rights Committee of the Bar Council
of England and Wales with funding from Role UK and UK Aid is geared
primarily at equipping NBA members with the tools necessary to aid
them in the provision of pro-bono legal services to Internally
Displaced Persons in the North East Region. The president in his
remarks stated that the Nigerian Bar Association has received
support from the Dangote Foundation which has made it possible for
them to bring in participants from the North East and indeed from
across the country to Abuja as against the earlier plan to host
training somewhere in the North East.
He stated also that the Nigerian Bar Association has, as part of
its public interest engagements prioritized the Conflict in the
North East Region and the Niger Delta. According to him, back in
August 2016, he announced the establishment of two task forces to
coordinate the NBA’s intervention in both regions which to him, is
making considerable impact in these areas. The NBA president noted
that there are indeed many cases of human right abuse due to the
conflict in the north east, thus there is a dare need to solve the
problem with all that is needed to achieve it.
His words:
“The insurgency has led to near collapse of justice sector
institutions particularly in parts of Bornu, Yobe and Adamawa
States. The NBA cannot remain aloof to the situation. To rebuild
the justice system and to offer assistance the victims of the
insurgency is a major component of the humanitarian intervention
that is much needed in the North-East Region. We are therefore
determined to contribute the little we can to address these
problems.
We are grateful that the Bar Council is offering us this support
in training our members to be better able to assist the victims of
this conflict.”
“The Nigerian Bar Association is taking a keen interest in these
areas and we are working to support conflict resolution and
prevention and offering support to the victims. Recently, I led a
team of our members to Benue State to show our concern over the
rising conflict in the State between Herdsmen and Farmers which has
led to killings, reprisals and displacements especially of women
and children. We are putting together our report which will shortly
be made public. However, I wish to appeal to all Stakeholders and
especially political, religious and community leaders to show
moderation in their utterances and to work towards building
compromises so as to deescalate tension and to seek long term
solution to the crisis.”
Speaking further, the NBA president stated that much has already
been put in place to solve the problem. According to him, the NBA
is also involved in trial observations.
“Only yesterday, a team of our members led by the 1st Vice
President of the NBA, Mr. Caleb Dajan, left for New Bussa in Niger
State on trial observation mission at the resumed trials of the
Boko Haram suspects. We are also currently working with other Civil
Society groups with the Support of MacArthur Foundation to develop
a transitional justice legal and policy framework for Nigeria
learning from the experiences of other African Countries. All of
these work require training of our members which we hope to
intensify in the coming months.” he said.
He therefore thanked Kirsty Brimelow QC, the Chairperson of the
Bar Human Rights Committee and her team as well as others for the
partnership put in place in achieving the desired goals.
“I am delighted that the Bar Council will be partnering with the
NBA in equipping our members and sharpening their skills to
undertake these major interventions which we are certain will aid
the promotion and protection of human rights and access to justice
across the country. These trainings will therefore continue and we
hope to reach as many of our members as possible. I am happy that
the Bar Human Rights Committee of Bar Council is willing to assist
us in this regard. Indeed, at the end of this ceremony, as
testimony to this, we will be signing an MOU that will commit both
the NBA and the Bar Council Human Rights Committee to promote our
long term engagements”, he added.