Inibehe Effiong Esq, a Lagos based Lawyer and principal in the
Law firm of Inibehe Effiong Chambers has written a petition to the
Chief Justice of the Federal High Court, over the seizure of phones
and communication gadgets by Security officers at the entrance of
the court.
Worried about the undignified treatment meted to lawyers, Mr.
Effiong is asking the Chief Judge to look into the matter and
address it accordingly.
Below reads the petition
8th March, 2018
The Honourable Chief Judge,
Federal High Court of Nigeria,
Federal High Court Complex,
Maitama,
Federal Capital Territory,
Abuja.
My Lord,
PETITION AGAINST THE SEIZURE OF PHONES, HARASSMENT
AND UNDIGNIFIED TREATMENT OF LAWYERS BY SECURITY OFFICIALS AT THE
ENTRANCE OF THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT ABUJA.
The above subject matter refers.
My name is Inibehe Effiong, a Lagos-based legal practitioner and
the Principal in the law firm of INIBEHE EFFIONG CHAMBERS.
I am impelled to respectfully write to draw the attention of My
Lord to the practice of seizing mobile phones and other
communication gadgets from legal practitioners by security
officials at the entrance/screening point of the Federal High Court
premises in Abuja; as a precondition for allowing lawyers access
into the main building of the Court.
In all the days that I had cause to be in the court, the most
recent being Thursday 8th March, 2018, I was subjected to
undignified treatment by the security officials. My phones and Ipad
were taken from me and I was given a phone identification tag which
is used to identify and retrieve phones when exiting the premises
of the Court.
In one occasion, I sought explanation from the security
officials on the justification and basis for not allowing lawyers
to carry their phones and other communication gadgets into the main
building of the Court, I was told in a dismissive tone that the
seizure of phones is based on “Order from above” and that it is a
security policy of the Court.
My Lord, it is somewhat embarrassing that legal practitioners
are being treated as “security threats” to the Temple of Justice
where they are Ministers by virtue of their Call and Enrolment as
Barristers and Solicitors of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
Interestingly, staff of the Court are allowed to gain access to
the Court with their phones but lawyers who are members of the Bar,
an arm of the Nigerian Judiciary, are not.
Beyond the embarrassment and ridicule of stopping lawyers from
carrying their phones into the main court premises, it is pertinent
to note that lawyers have invariably been denied access to research
and also prevented from attending to emergencies which may arise
while they are inside the Court’s premises.
A lawyer who needs to meet with a Bailiff of the Court will be
frustrated if he gets to the Bailiff Section only to realise that
the particular Bailiff he wanted to meet with is not within sight.
The lawyer will then have to go to the ground floor to retrieve his
phone and call the Bailiff. Also, where a lawyer is in court for a
matter but realises that the counsel on the other side is not
inside the Court, such a lawyer will be handicapped from contacting
his professional colleague over the phone to enquire about the
latter’s where about. A lawyer whose wife, child or other relation
or client is in emergency situation will not be able to respond and
attend to the situation because his phone which is the only means
by which he could be contacted is not within reach, having been
seized at the entrance of the Court.
My Lord, above are just few examples of the avoidable problems
and difficulties that lawyers are being subjected to by reason of
this practice.
I submit with respect that in this computer age where the world
is a global village, phones have become indispensable.
By the ethics of our profession, the use of mobile phones and
other communication gadgets are only restricted inside the Court
when the Judge is sitting as doing otherwise may constitute
contempt. The essence by my modest understanding is to prevent the
disruption of Court proceedings.
I urge My Lord to look at this matter and do justice to it. It
is a sad commentary that lawyers are being targeted by security
officials in the court like other members of the society. Our
professional prestige has been eroded by security officials who
have been emboldened to confront, insult and denigrate any lawyer
who dares to question them.
If medical doctors are allowed to carry their phones into the
hospital; if teachers are allowed to carry their phones into school
premises; if soldiers are allowed to carry their phones into the
barracks, one wonders why lawyers in Nigeria are not allowed to
carry their phones into the main building of the Federal High Court
in Abuja.
I pray My Lord to find and hold that this policy or practice is
totally indefensible, denigrating and amounts to an attack on the
status of a legal practioner.
Lastly, I most humbly pray My Lord to issue a directive
reversing, cancelling and repealing this practice or policy.
May it please My Lord.
Yours faithfully,
INIBEHE EFFIONG ESQ.
Cc:
The President,
Nigerian Bar Association,
NBA National Secretariat, NBA House,
Central Business District,
F.C.T., Abuja.
Inibehe Effiong Esq, a Lagos based Lawyer and principal in the
Law firm of Inibehe Effiong Chambers has written a petition to the
Chief Justice of the Federal High Court, over the seizure of phones
and communication gadgets by Security officers at the entrance of
the court.
Worried about the undignified treatment meted to lawyers, Mr.
Effiong is asking the Chief Judge to look into the matter and
address it accordingly.
Below reads the petition
8th March, 2018
The Honourable Chief Judge,
Federal High Court of Nigeria,
Federal High Court Complex,
Maitama,
Federal Capital Territory,
Abuja.
My Lord,
PETITION AGAINST THE SEIZURE OF PHONES, HARASSMENT
AND UNDIGNIFIED TREATMENT OF LAWYERS BY SECURITY OFFICIALS AT THE
ENTRANCE OF THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT ABUJA.
The above subject matter refers.
My name is Inibehe Effiong, a Lagos-based legal practitioner and
the Principal in the law firm of INIBEHE EFFIONG CHAMBERS.
I am impelled to respectfully write to draw the attention of My
Lord to the practice of seizing mobile phones and other
communication gadgets from legal practitioners by security
officials at the entrance/screening point of the Federal High Court
premises in Abuja; as a precondition for allowing lawyers access
into the main building of the Court.
In all the days that I had cause to be in the court, the most
recent being Thursday 8th March, 2018, I was subjected to
undignified treatment by the security officials. My phones and Ipad
were taken from me and I was given a phone identification tag which
is used to identify and retrieve phones when exiting the premises
of the Court.
In one occasion, I sought explanation from the security
officials on the justification and basis for not allowing lawyers
to carry their phones and other communication gadgets into the main
building of the Court, I was told in a dismissive tone that the
seizure of phones is based on “Order from above” and that it is a
security policy of the Court.
My Lord, it is somewhat embarrassing that legal practitioners
are being treated as “security threats” to the Temple of Justice
where they are Ministers by virtue of their Call and Enrolment as
Barristers and Solicitors of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
Interestingly, staff of the Court are allowed to gain access to
the Court with their phones but lawyers who are members of the Bar,
an arm of the Nigerian Judiciary, are not.
Beyond the embarrassment and ridicule of stopping lawyers from
carrying their phones into the main court premises, it is pertinent
to note that lawyers have invariably been denied access to research
and also prevented from attending to emergencies which may arise
while they are inside the Court’s premises.
A lawyer who needs to meet with a Bailiff of the Court will be
frustrated if he gets to the Bailiff Section only to realise that
the particular Bailiff he wanted to meet with is not within sight.
The lawyer will then have to go to the ground floor to retrieve his
phone and call the Bailiff. Also, where a lawyer is in court for a
matter but realises that the counsel on the other side is not
inside the Court, such a lawyer will be handicapped from contacting
his professional colleague over the phone to enquire about the
latter’s where about. A lawyer whose wife, child or other relation
or client is in emergency situation will not be able to respond and
attend to the situation because his phone which is the only means
by which he could be contacted is not within reach, having been
seized at the entrance of the Court.
My Lord, above are just few examples of the avoidable problems
and difficulties that lawyers are being subjected to by reason of
this practice.
I submit with respect that in this computer age where the world
is a global village, phones have become indispensable.
By the ethics of our profession, the use of mobile phones and
other communication gadgets are only restricted inside the Court
when the Judge is sitting as doing otherwise may constitute
contempt. The essence by my modest understanding is to prevent the
disruption of Court proceedings.
I urge My Lord to look at this matter and do justice to it. It
is a sad commentary that lawyers are being targeted by security
officials in the court like other members of the society. Our
professional prestige has been eroded by security officials who
have been emboldened to confront, insult and denigrate any lawyer
who dares to question them.
If medical doctors are allowed to carry their phones into the
hospital; if teachers are allowed to carry their phones into school
premises; if soldiers are allowed to carry their phones into the
barracks, one wonders why lawyers in Nigeria are not allowed to
carry their phones into the main building of the Federal High Court
in Abuja.
I pray My Lord to find and hold that this policy or practice is
totally indefensible, denigrating and amounts to an attack on the
status of a legal practioner.
Lastly, I most humbly pray My Lord to issue a directive
reversing, cancelling and repealing this practice or policy.
May it please My Lord.
Yours faithfully,
INIBEHE EFFIONG ESQ.
Cc:
The President,
Nigerian Bar Association,
NBA National Secretariat, NBA House,
Central Business District,
F.C.T., Abuja.