*Says NBA Should Devise An Action Plan
![image](/2020/10/lawreport.jpg")
![image](/2021/05/lawp.jpg")
A past National Welfare Secretary, of the Nigerian Bar
Association Ade Adegbite FICMC (AA), has said that the attack on
the serving Chairman of NBA Makurdi, Justin Gbagir, by the Zonal
head of EFCC, Makurdi branch is unjustifiable.
![image](/2021/05/NBASBL2021.jpg")
AA, made this remark on Wednesday reacting to the report earlier
published by TheNigerialawyer(TNL), that Isei Daniel, directed his
officers to allegedly beat up Gbagir, which resulted in him being
hospitalized at Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi
(BSUTH).
Adegbite, asked some questions after reading the report in the
morning.
He said: “I read this morning, the report of the unwarranted
brutal assault of the Chairman, NBA Makurdi Branch, Mr. Justin
Gbagir, by the EFCC operatives in Makurdi, Benue State with great
indignation.
“I was compelled to ask the following questions:
“When will this type of madness stop in Nigeria, really?
“What kind of a barbaric security/law enforcement system do we
operate in our country?
“How long shall we tolerate the animalistic tendencies of the
law enforcement officers who appear to have adopted a criminal code
of conduct, especially against lawyers, which entails violent
assault (physical or verbal) against a lawyer each time one visited
their offices, in the course of his lawful duty?
“For how long will the Nigerian Bar Association tolerate these
mad dogs that are being paid with our taxes, but will rather
unleash terror on us, at nearly every point of forced and lawful
official engagement?
“We had seen lawyers and Bar leaders assaulted in Okutipupa,
Ondo State, it has happened in Orlu/Owerri, Imo State, it also
happened in several other states including but not limited to
Lagos, Oyo, Abia, and Akwa Ibom States respectively and so many
other States in Nigeria. I have had cause to raise this alarm in
the past. Now it has happened again in Makurdi, Benue State. When
exactly will enough be enough?
“I think it is time we rose with a clear message that this type
of atrocity shall no longer be tolerated anymore and insist that
the perpetrators of all reported cases of assaults on our
colleagues be brought to justice with maximum sanctions imposed
against them.
“It is apparent that the continuous misbehavior of officers of
various security agencies in Nigeria, especially the Police Force
and the EFCC, against legal practitioners is borne out superiority
challenge.
“It is a case of sustained impunity of some self-deluded
officers who are battling for supremacy over the legal profession
and it’s practitioners
“It is my most humbly considered view that the Nigerian Bar
Association should use this latest incident to make a Very Loud
Statement and devise an Action Plan that will ensure, that NEVER
AGAIN, shall any assault on any of our colleague(s) by any misfit
officer(s) who criminally exploited his/her security agency’s
membership, to rein havoc of physical assault or any form of
harassment on a legal practitioner, go unpunished.
“Enough Is Belatedly Enough!”
*Says NBA Should Devise An Action Plan
A past National Welfare Secretary, of the Nigerian Bar
Association Ade Adegbite FICMC (AA), has said that the attack on
the serving Chairman of NBA Makurdi, Justin Gbagir, by the Zonal
head of EFCC, Makurdi branch is unjustifiable.
AA, made this remark on Wednesday reacting to the report earlier
published by TheNigerialawyer(TNL), that Isei Daniel, directed his
officers to allegedly beat up Gbagir, which resulted in him being
hospitalized at Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi
(BSUTH).
Adegbite, asked some questions after reading the report in the
morning.
He said: “I read this morning, the report of the unwarranted
brutal assault of the Chairman, NBA Makurdi Branch, Mr. Justin
Gbagir, by the EFCC operatives in Makurdi, Benue State with great
indignation.
“I was compelled to ask the following questions:
“When will this type of madness stop in Nigeria, really?
“What kind of a barbaric security/law enforcement system do we
operate in our country?
“How long shall we tolerate the animalistic tendencies of the
law enforcement officers who appear to have adopted a criminal code
of conduct, especially against lawyers, which entails violent
assault (physical or verbal) against a lawyer each time one visited
their offices, in the course of his lawful duty?
“For how long will the Nigerian Bar Association tolerate these
mad dogs that are being paid with our taxes, but will rather
unleash terror on us, at nearly every point of forced and lawful
official engagement?
“We had seen lawyers and Bar leaders assaulted in Okutipupa,
Ondo State, it has happened in Orlu/Owerri, Imo State, it also
happened in several other states including but not limited to
Lagos, Oyo, Abia, and Akwa Ibom States respectively and so many
other States in Nigeria. I have had cause to raise this alarm in
the past. Now it has happened again in Makurdi, Benue State. When
exactly will enough be enough?
“I think it is time we rose with a clear message that this type
of atrocity shall no longer be tolerated anymore and insist that
the perpetrators of all reported cases of assaults on our
colleagues be brought to justice with maximum sanctions imposed
against them.
“It is apparent that the continuous misbehavior of officers of
various security agencies in Nigeria, especially the Police Force
and the EFCC, against legal practitioners is borne out superiority
challenge.
“It is a case of sustained impunity of some self-deluded
officers who are battling for supremacy over the legal profession
and it’s practitioners
“It is my most humbly considered view that the Nigerian Bar
Association should use this latest incident to make a Very Loud
Statement and devise an Action Plan that will ensure, that NEVER
AGAIN, shall any assault on any of our colleague(s) by any misfit
officer(s) who criminally exploited his/her security agency’s
membership, to rein havoc of physical assault or any form of
harassment on a legal practitioner, go unpunished.
“Enough Is Belatedly Enough!”