The Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association Institute for Continuing Legal Education (NBA-ICLE), Tobenna Erojikwe, has called on the Nigerian Bar Association Security Agencies Relations Committee (NBA-SARC) and all NBA branches in Lagos State to mobilise their members to protest against the rising cases of police brutality, dehumanisation, and harassment of lawyers for representing their clients.
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His call came on the heels of the recent unlawful detention and dehumanisation of a lawyer, Olumide Sonupe, by the Divisional Police Officer of Moshalashi Police Station, Gowon Estate, Egbeda.
Describing Olumide Sonupe’s ordeal over his detention from December 30th, 2023, to January 1st, 2024, for representing his client as “one incident, too many,” Tobenna Erojikwe strongly condemned the actions of the DPO of Mosholashi Police Station, and the Area Commander of Area M Command called for serious action from the Bar.
“The unlawful detention and dehumanisation of Olumide Sonupe is a direct attack on the freedom and dignity of every lawyer, and I call on lawyers to defend their constitutional right to represent their clients detained by security agencies as well as their dignity,” he remarked.
Tobenna Erojikwe expressed his sympathy to Olumide Sonupe over his ordeal and praised his resilience. “All lawyers in Lagos State must rally around Olumide Sonupe to ensure this case is not swept under the carpet,” he opined.
Mr. Tobenna Erojikwe also declared that, besides physically protesting against the police, all options must be explored to protect lawyers from security agencies.
He suggested taking legal action in this case against the police and the officers involved, as well as raising awareness about the threat faced by lawyers in Nigeria from security agencies in the international community.
Justifying his suggestions, Erojikwe asked, “If the police and other security agencies cow and browbeat lawyers into submission, what would be the fate of the ordinary citizens?”
“One of the core mandates of the NBA remains the promotion of the rule of law and the protection of the rights of Nigerians from infringement. How can we achieve this if we, as lawyers, are becoming endangered species in the hands of the police and other security agencies?” he further queried.
Tobenna Erojikwe concluded by saying that every lawyer “must” join this protest and other efforts to stop the harassment of lawyers by the police, as the situation at hand is critical and affects not just lawyers but the entire society.
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