The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has been accused of merely paying lip service to the defense of human rights, despite organizing conferences and issuing press statements on the matter.
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In a scathing critique, renowned human rights lawyer Femi Falana SAN has called on the NBA to move beyond rhetoric and take concrete actions to promote human rights in Nigeria.
Falana identified several areas where the NBA has failed to invoke relevant statutes and demand the implementation of official policies. These include ensuring the presence of legal practitioners in police stations to monitor human rights observance, enforcing the prosecution of criminal cases by legal practitioners as provided for in the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, and mobilizing human rights committees to accompany Chief Magistrates and Judges on monthly visits to police stations and detention facilities.
The senior advocate also pointed out that since the enactment of the Nigerian Correctional Services Act in 2019, which designates the NBA President and other executive members as official visitors to correctional centers, no such visits have taken place. Furthermore, the NBA has not adopted measures to ensure compliance with judgments on financial autonomy for the judiciary, despite the efforts of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) and former NBA President Olisa Agbakoba SAN.
Falana criticized the NBA for not challenging Attorneys General over their disobedience of court orders and refusal to pay judgment debts, and for failing to mobilize lawyers heading judiciary and human rights committees in legislative houses to promote human rights across the country. He also noted that the NBA has not taken advantage of its membership in bodies such as the National Human Rights Commission, Legal Aid Council, and National Committee Against Torture to advance human rights.
In conclusion, Falana expressed hope that the current NBA President, Afam Osigwe SAN, will change the narrative and lead the association to achieve its constitutional objective of promoting and protecting “the principles of the rule of law and respect for the enforcement of fundamental rights, human rights, and people’s rights.” The call to action serves as a reminder that the NBA must do more than simply pay lip service to human rights and instead take proactive steps to effect change in Nigeria’s legal and human rights landscape.
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