The Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association Institute for Continuing Legal Education (NBA-ICLE), Tobenna Erojikwe, participated and spoke passionately at the protest against police brutality and harassment of lawyers in Lagos on Thursday, January 11, 2024.
This comes after Erojikwe strongly condemned the unlawful detention and dehumanisation of lawyer Olumide Sonupe by the Divisional Police Officer of Moshalashi Police Station in December 2023, calling it “one too many” and demanding serious action from the Bar.
Heeding Tobenna Erojikwe’s call, the NBA-SARC and NBA Branches in Lagos mobilised and gathered in protest, with Tobenna Erojikwe conspicuously present and at the forefront. Carrying placards and chanting slogans, the lawyers marched to the Lagos State Police Headquarters to demand an end to the harassment of lawyers carrying out their lawful duties.
“The attack on Olumide Sonupe was an attack on all of us,” said Tobenna Erojikwe in a comment at the protest. “We must defend our constitutional rights to represent our clients without fear or intimidation.” Tobenna Erojikwe further stated: “The harassment of lawyers is an attack on the rule of law itself. If lawyers are not free to do their duty and represent their clients without intimidation, then justice itself is under threat in our society.”
In Tobenna Erojikwe’s view, the protest march was a success and a symbolic move aimed at bringing the issue of harassment of lawyers to the consciousness of the nation. He stated that “much more needs to be done in this regard, and the NBA-SARC needs to set out a clear institutional framework for dealing with this matter rather than ad-hoc reactions so there is uniformity and a basis for legitimate expectations on the part of victims.”
After the protest, Erojikwe commended the huge turnout of lawyers, thanking the various NBA Branch Chairmen and their deputies, as well as all former and serving members of the NBA National Executive, for recognising the urgency of the situation and coming out to join the protest. He especially thanked the NBA Ota Branch which came all the way from Ogun State to join.
Tobenna Erojikwe further urged lawyers to ensure that all the demands for respect for lawyers from the police and other security agencies are addressed. He reminded lawyers that “the price of freedom is eternal vigilance” and urged them to remain steadfast in defending their rights when representing arrested or detained clients.
Tobenna Erojikwe concluded by saying that “this protest marks the first step of the Nigerian Bar Association’s journey to regain its voice and asked lawyers to amplify it more by not backing down from this historical pathway to freedom and dignity of lawyers, carrying out their constitutional duties to their clients.” He urged lawyers to continue fighting until there was accountability for police misconduct against lawyers.
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