The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ilọrin, and the Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Kwara State have clashed over the detention of a lawyer.
The drama started weekend when the NBA leadership demanded the “immediate transfer of the zonal head, Micheal Nzekwe” and boycott of the commission’s activities during a press conference in Ilorin.
The Ilọrin bar accused Nzekwe of lacking “respect for the rule of law and violation of citizens’ rights at will”.
It alleged that citizens were being ‘arrested and treated in an undignified manner with little or no access to their family and legal practitioner of their choice when being interrogated by the EFCC’.
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Speaking at the programme, NBA acting chairperson, Aishat Omotayo Temim; and publicity secretary, Ridwan Musa, said EFCC as an agency of government must operate in accordance with the law.
“We’ve also had verifiable reports of how suspects arrested are given the option of disengaging their lawyers employed by the family and accepting EFCC-nominated lawyer as a condition for securing their freedom temporarily or permanently.
“Legal practitioners, who are not EFCC- nominated lawyers’ are treated with disdain. Uncooperative suspects are usually rushed to the court with a view to securing their convictions at all costs.
“We know that this unholy practice is impossible without the cooperation/collaboration of some of our colleagues, who agree to share their ‘professional fee’ with officials of the commission,” the NBA added.
However, head, media and publicity of the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, in a counter statement, said the NBA press statement, “smacks of blackmail and disguised attempt to intimidate the Ilorin command of the commission into unconscionable docility.
“The commission is scandalised that the NBA Ilorin branch chose a moment when one of its members, Suleiman Toyin Yahaya, was being detained by the zonal command for allegedly tampering with the statement of a suspect under investigation, to launch a media attack against it and its leadership.
“It is shocking that the Ilorin branch of the NBA was silent on the alleged criminal act of its member who was detained with a valid remand order and has since been released in obedience to a counter order of court.
“While the commission is willing to investigate any allegation of unprofessional conduct by any of its personnel, those making such claims must provide proof,” Uwujaren said.
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