Mr. Samuel Jibrin Okutepa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, has called on members of the legal profession to avoid acts that will make lawyers victims of mob action
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Okutepa said this in a statement made available to TheNigeriaLawyer (TNL) as a reaction to the order of the Federal High Court freezing the account of the EndSars protesters.
The learned silk called for emulation of the United States of America where exparte orders are not used to sabotage democracy
“I hope the legal profession will avoid any action that will put members of the profession at the mercy of mob action in this country.
“The legal profession must save itself from self embarrassment. When you follow the lawsuits in the ongoing elections in USA, you see a system that works. No legal jargon. Decisions are rendered sharp sharp.
“Nothing like evading service. No ex-parte orders in the sabotage of democratic stability.” Okutepa said
He queried why CBN court sought an order to freeze the account of citizens for 90 days.
He said, “Just today I read that Federal High Court had granted orders to CBN frozen accounts of certain persons. The frozen orders is said to be for 90 days. 90 days for Ex-parte orders. In the Federal High Court. Under what law. What does the CBN needs the order for. How do you make orders affecting the rights of persons to their property or money Ex-parte. There is something wrong here.
“Do we need to use the court to legitimise what is obviously provocative. How did we get here. Is it that we must make every order as prayed.”
He said in the US, Trump sought for an exparte order but he was made to put the other side on Notice
According to him, “That is the way it should be. Even God condemned not Adam unheard. Eve was heard. Why do we deny ourselves this basic fundamental right. Those whose accounts were frozen should seek redress. They must be heard. Not February 2021. Let us borrow sense from civilised world and stop behaving as if we have no respect for ourselves.
“Let us stop using law for mischief. That is not the intention of law. Law must be used for the greater good of the people.”
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