Danladi Umar Engaging In Public Altercations With Security Man, Undignified The Office Of Chairman, CCT– JS Okutepa SAN

*Says AGF and FG, Must Not Condone Such Conduct,
*Says Govt Must Not Allow This Matter To Be Swept Under The
Carpets

A prominent lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, J.S Okutepa,
SAN, has not only faulted the action displayed by the Chairman,
Code of Conduct Tribunal, Danladi Umar, at Banex Plaza, where he
went to repair his phone, but the Defence raised in the press
release by Ibraheem Al-Hassan, Head, Press, and Public Relations
Unit, CCT HQ.

Recall that Yesterday Ibraheem, in a defence of what appears to
be assaults committed by or against the Chairman of Code of Conduct
Tribunal, Mr. Danladi Umar, stated that it was rather the CCT
Chairman that was assaulted and not the security guard.

Reacting to the statement, the learned Silk, Okutepa, SAN
reproduced the exact content of the press statement  by
Danladi’s aide, Ibraheem below and It reads:

“Our attention was drawn on a report from some
online publication with a video cliff suggesting Hon Chairman,
Justice Danladi Y. Umar assaulted a Security Guard at Banex Plaza.
To start with, the said plaza has been his usual place of visits
for the past 18 years for shopping and repairs of his phones, and
in all these periods there have never been any time he had any
turmoil with anybody.

Unfortunately, yesterday’s altercations started
over a packing lot, which Chairman met vacant and it was directly
opposite a shop he want to make a purchase and to fixe his phone,
when the young Security guard sighted him, he ordered that Chairman
should not pack his car in that particular empty space, but
Chairman asked why, the security guard couldn’t convinced chairman,
though Chairman didn’t identify himself, because to him is needless
and is a place he visited often, but the boy was rode in his
approached and threaten to deal with Chairman if he refuse to leave
the scene.

Again, if Chairman had went there to cause
trouble or intimidate some one, as suggested in the report, he
would have gone there in his full official paraphernalia, but he
went there alone with his younger brother.

The Police men seen in the video cliff were not
the Chairman’s police team, they were policemen operating around
the plaza whom at first instance intervened before the arrival of
police team from Maitama Police station. As the few policemen in
the complex were apparently overwhelmed by the mobs, consisting of
BIAFRAN boys throwing matches and shape object to his car, which
led to deep cut and dislocation in one of his finger, causing
damage to his car, smashing his windscreen.

At a point he attempted to leave the scene, these
same miscreants, BIAFRAN boy ordered for the closure of the gate
thereby assaulting him before the arrival of police team from
Maitama police station.

An incident like this when it happened, sympathy
usually goes to the low personalities. Though is unfortunate as I
said, it ought not to have happened.

Ibraheem
Al-Hassan,
Head, Press & Public Relations.
CCT HQ.
Abuja.
March, 30th 2021″

J.S Okutepa, said if truly the press statement came from
CCT,  it is an admission that the chairman of CCT went to
Banex Plaza on the day in question and there were altercations.

“It also admits that the Chairman Mr. Danladi Umar, parked his
car in a place which was not meant for him to park.

“The Chairman was approached to re-park his car. “He challenged
the authority of the security man to request him to re-park his
car. Instead of respecting himself and obey the instruction of the
security man, the Chairman refused to obey.

“The Chairman argued with the security man. That argument led to
fighting and assaults and the Chairman was wounded. Police were
invited.

“Without attempting to blame or passing judgment on any of the
parties, and even the grammatical and other errors in this press
statement, it is necessary to point out that the Chairman of CCT is
not an ordinary Nigerian.”

He further pointed out that the Chairman occupies a position
that is not only sensitive but a position that is clothed with
garments to enforce code of conduct against public officers.

“See item 3 of the 3rd schedule to the 1999 constitution as
amended. The Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act under which
the Chairman of CCT was appointed expected the highest degree of
unimpeachable integrity from the chairman and by the law, the
chairman is indeed to mirror the aims and objectives of the Bureau
in public.

“The Chairman was expected to display the highest degree of
standards of morality and to ensure that his behaviour and actions
in public conform to the highest standards of public morality.

“Apart from that, the chairman is a lawyer and as lawyer he has
a duty to endure that he uphold and observe the rule of law,
promote and foster the cause of justice, maintain high standards of
professional conduct, and shall not engage in conduct unbecoming of
a Legal Practitioner.

Clearly, from the press statement, the Chairman was told not to
park in the place he parked. He refused on the arguments that the
space was free,” he said

How did the Chairman know that the place was free? Did he
disobey lawful orders of the security man? Okutepa, SAN,
queried.

“The Chairman by his position ought not to engage in public
altercations and arguments which has the capacity and was capable
of putting his position and office into public opprobrium, odium,
and ridicules.

“From the press statement of the CCT which cannot be issued
without the approval of the chairman and which press statement has
not been denied by CCT HQ, it is my respectful view that the
Chairman’s conduct in the circumstances in engaging in public
altercations with security man was undignified of the office of
Chairman of CCT.

“That conduct ought not to be celebrated by any right-thinking
members of the society.

“As lawyer and chairman of CCT no reasonable person should
celebrate the conduct of the chairman as corroborated by the press
statement. The government must not allow this matter to be swept
under the carpets. It is not one of those issues that should be
treated with levity.

“The HAGF and FGN must not condone this conduct. It must take
action.The Chairman cannot be allowed to be sitting over conduct of
other public officers when his conduct is in public court.

“Justice is rooted in confidence and this confidence will be
destroyed if nothing is done to restore confidence in the
credibility of CCT,” he added.

*Says AGF and FG, Must Not Condone Such Conduct,
*Says Govt Must Not Allow This Matter To Be Swept Under The
Carpets

A prominent lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, J.S Okutepa,
SAN, has not only faulted the action displayed by the Chairman,
Code of Conduct Tribunal, Danladi Umar, at Banex Plaza, where he
went to repair his phone, but the Defence raised in the press
release by Ibraheem Al-Hassan, Head, Press, and Public Relations
Unit, CCT HQ.

Recall that Yesterday Ibraheem, in a defence of what appears to
be assaults committed by or against the Chairman of Code of Conduct
Tribunal, Mr. Danladi Umar, stated that it was rather the CCT
Chairman that was assaulted and not the security guard.

Reacting to the statement, the learned Silk, Okutepa, SAN
reproduced the exact content of the press statement  by
Danladi’s aide, Ibraheem below and It reads:

“Our attention was drawn on a report from some
online publication with a video cliff suggesting Hon Chairman,
Justice Danladi Y. Umar assaulted a Security Guard at Banex Plaza.
To start with, the said plaza has been his usual place of visits
for the past 18 years for shopping and repairs of his phones, and
in all these periods there have never been any time he had any
turmoil with anybody.

Unfortunately, yesterday’s altercations started
over a packing lot, which Chairman met vacant and it was directly
opposite a shop he want to make a purchase and to fixe his phone,
when the young Security guard sighted him, he ordered that Chairman
should not pack his car in that particular empty space, but
Chairman asked why, the security guard couldn’t convinced chairman,
though Chairman didn’t identify himself, because to him is needless
and is a place he visited often, but the boy was rode in his
approached and threaten to deal with Chairman if he refuse to leave
the scene.

Again, if Chairman had went there to cause
trouble or intimidate some one, as suggested in the report, he
would have gone there in his full official paraphernalia, but he
went there alone with his younger brother.

The Police men seen in the video cliff were not
the Chairman’s police team, they were policemen operating around
the plaza whom at first instance intervened before the arrival of
police team from Maitama Police station. As the few policemen in
the complex were apparently overwhelmed by the mobs, consisting of
BIAFRAN boys throwing matches and shape object to his car, which
led to deep cut and dislocation in one of his finger, causing
damage to his car, smashing his windscreen.

At a point he attempted to leave the scene, these
same miscreants, BIAFRAN boy ordered for the closure of the gate
thereby assaulting him before the arrival of police team from
Maitama police station.

An incident like this when it happened, sympathy
usually goes to the low personalities. Though is unfortunate as I
said, it ought not to have happened.

Ibraheem
Al-Hassan,
Head, Press & Public Relations.
CCT HQ.
Abuja.
March, 30th 2021″

J.S Okutepa, said if truly the press statement came from
CCT,  it is an admission that the chairman of CCT went to
Banex Plaza on the day in question and there were altercations.

“It also admits that the Chairman Mr. Danladi Umar, parked his
car in a place which was not meant for him to park.

“The Chairman was approached to re-park his car. “He challenged
the authority of the security man to request him to re-park his
car. Instead of respecting himself and obey the instruction of the
security man, the Chairman refused to obey.

“The Chairman argued with the security man. That argument led to
fighting and assaults and the Chairman was wounded. Police were
invited.

“Without attempting to blame or passing judgment on any of the
parties, and even the grammatical and other errors in this press
statement, it is necessary to point out that the Chairman of CCT is
not an ordinary Nigerian.”

He further pointed out that the Chairman occupies a position
that is not only sensitive but a position that is clothed with
garments to enforce code of conduct against public officers.

“See item 3 of the 3rd schedule to the 1999 constitution as
amended. The Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act under which
the Chairman of CCT was appointed expected the highest degree of
unimpeachable integrity from the chairman and by the law, the
chairman is indeed to mirror the aims and objectives of the Bureau
in public.

“The Chairman was expected to display the highest degree of
standards of morality and to ensure that his behaviour and actions
in public conform to the highest standards of public morality.

“Apart from that, the chairman is a lawyer and as lawyer he has
a duty to endure that he uphold and observe the rule of law,
promote and foster the cause of justice, maintain high standards of
professional conduct, and shall not engage in conduct unbecoming of
a Legal Practitioner.

Clearly, from the press statement, the Chairman was told not to
park in the place he parked. He refused on the arguments that the
space was free,” he said

How did the Chairman know that the place was free? Did he
disobey lawful orders of the security man? Okutepa, SAN,
queried.

“The Chairman by his position ought not to engage in public
altercations and arguments which has the capacity and was capable
of putting his position and office into public opprobrium, odium,
and ridicules.

“From the press statement of the CCT which cannot be issued
without the approval of the chairman and which press statement has
not been denied by CCT HQ, it is my respectful view that the
Chairman’s conduct in the circumstances in engaging in public
altercations with security man was undignified of the office of
Chairman of CCT.

“That conduct ought not to be celebrated by any right-thinking
members of the society.

“As lawyer and chairman of CCT no reasonable person should
celebrate the conduct of the chairman as corroborated by the press
statement. The government must not allow this matter to be swept
under the carpets. It is not one of those issues that should be
treated with levity.

“The HAGF and FGN must not condone this conduct. It must take
action.The Chairman cannot be allowed to be sitting over conduct of
other public officers when his conduct is in public court.

“Justice is rooted in confidence and this confidence will be
destroyed if nothing is done to restore confidence in the
credibility of CCT,” he added.