NBA Owerri Branch Disclaims Fact-Finding Report On Closure Of Industrial Court Indicting Alozie SAN , Says “The Bar Has Not Taken A Final Position”

*Says Fact Finding Report Sent To Appropriate Authorities
*Says Members Of The Public Should Not Act On Report As It Is Not Conclusive

The Publicity Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association, Owerri Branch, Daniel Odiba Esq had disclaimed a report purportedly released by a fact-finding committee setup by the branch to investigate the circumstances which warranted the closure of the National Industrial Court in Owerri.

The said report which indicted a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, M. Alozie SAN for gross professional misconduct has been making rounds across media platforms since today.

In a statement made available to TheNigeriaLawyer, the Publicity Secretary said some findings by the committee were not adopted by the Advisory committee after consideration for lack of fair hearing for some parties involved in the saga.

He said;

“The Committee presented its report to the Bar at its Monthly Meeting of 24th September, 2022.

Upon a motion properly moved and seconded, the General Meeting directed that the Committee Report be sent back to the Advisory Committee to read, deliberate on same and advise the Executive Committee. That motion was to the effect that whatever be the outcome of the Advisory Committee Meeting, the Executive Committee should act on same and forward it as a resolution of the Bar to the appropriate bodies.

That at the Advisory Committee Meeting which held on the 28th day of September, 2022, the Advisory Committee extensively read and deliberated on the Report of the Fact Finding Committee.

That some of the findings of the Fact Finding Committee were not adopted by the Advisory Committee because some actors in the whole saga were not heard and some parties were not offered opportunities to react to some allegations made against them by some of the actors.”

He said that it was resolved that the report would not be adopted in its entirety and the resolutions had been sent to appropriate authorities and bodies including the President of the National Industrial Court and the President of the Nigerian Bar Association.

“Consequently, it was resolved that the entire report will not be adopted hook, line and sinker. However, the recommendations of the Committee were found to be apt and same were adopted because the recommendations did not directly touch on some of the findings referenced at the paragraph immediately preceding above.

That the Bar has sent its Resolutions and forwarding correspondence to the appropriate authorities and bodies including the President of the National Industrial Court and the President of the Nigerian Bar Association.”

He therefore urged members of the public not to act on the report currently in circulation as it is not the conclusive report.

“Members of the public are advised not to act on the Report earlier circulated on social media as same is not the final position of the Bar.”