Killing Of Deborah For Alleged Blasphemy: ‘Removal of NBA-SPIDEL Conference From Sokoto State Is In Public Interest’ — Prof. Ojukwu Replies Ubani

A Former Deputy Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, Prof Ernest Ojukwu SAN has described it as preposterous for lawyers to insist on hosting the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL) Annual Summit in Sokoto State in the aftermath of the gruesome murder and burning of Deborah Yakubu, a two hundred level student of the College of Education, Sokoto over allegations of blasphemy.

According to the respected lawyer, it will be preposterous if the Public Interest section of the Bar cannot use the strategy of the summit’s cancellation to advocate for an end to extrajudicial killings and religious intolerance in the host state.

His statement sighted by TheNigeriaLawyer comes in response to an earlier remark by the Chairman of the NBA-SPIDEL, Dr Monday Ubani whom described calls for the cancellation or withdrawal of its annual summit slated to host in Sokoto State as “preposterous and illogical”.

Ojukwu in his response said; “It should be more preposterous for lawyers to suggest that a Public Interest Section of the Bar cannot use one of the eloquent strategies to advocate for human rights because leaders are already committed.”

According to him, the withdrawal of the conference is the loudest public interest campaign against the rising culture of religious execution in Sokoto State.

He noted, “The loudest public interest campaign against this culture of religious executions is to withdraw the conference from Sokoto. It is not personal.”

He further emphasised that it is wrong and improper for the NBA-SPIDEL Chair to insist on proceeding with the summit despite objections from lawyers.

“You are wrong to insist that you must go to Sokoto at ALL costs. The call to cancel is not because of safety issues. It is in the public interest to use the cancel as an eloquent advocacy against traditional religious intolerance.”