NBA

By Sabiu Abdullahi 

Comptroller Abba-Aji Idris of the Katsina Area Command has been praised by the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) for his proactive efforts in combating smuggling and drug trafficking.

This recognition comes after the NDLEA Commander for Katsina, Abubakar Aminu, visited Comptroller Idris at the Customs House in Katsina on October 30, 2024. 

“The purpose of this visit is to assist the Comptroller in any way possible,” Commander Abubakar stated, highlighting the NDLEA’s alignment with the Customs Command’s objectives to protect the state from illegal cross-border activities. Comptroller Idris expressed gratitude for the NDLEA’s support, describing the visit as a timely reinforcement of Katsina Command’s mission.

He outlined several strategies implemented since taking office, underscoring the Command’s ongoing dedication to safeguarding Katsina State’s borders. Similarly, the Katsina State Chapter of the NBA, led by Chairman Barrister Shafiu Umar, acknowledged Comptroller Idris’ contributions to public security.

During their visit, Barrister Umar applauded the Comptroller’s active engagement with the community and public enlightenment campaigns, noting the NBA’s commitment to supporting legal cooperation and awareness efforts aligned with the Command’s anti-smuggling objectives. 

Comptroller Idris thanked the NBA delegation for their support and pledged to collaborate closely with the association to enhance the command’s operational goals.

He stated the importance of community partnerships in achieving lasting success against border-related crimes. 

This recognition is not isolated, as other Customs Area Controllers have also received awards from the NDLEA for their anti-smuggling efforts.

Recently, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu participated in the “Walk Against Drugs” to commemorate the 2024 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking.

By Uzair Adam Imam

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has refuted claims that the Samoa Agreement, signed by the Federal Government, requires Nigeria to endorse or accept LGBTQ rights.

NBA President Yakubu Maikyau, in a statement, said that the agreement does not compromise Nigeria’s sovereignty or existing laws, including the Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act, 2023.

Maikyau emphasized that the NBA would have advised against signing the agreement if it contravened Nigerian laws.

He urged stakeholders to educate the public on the agreement’s true content, countering negative narratives pushed along sensitive lines of faith, culture, and morality.

The agreement recognizes Nigeria’s existing laws and sovereignty, and the NBA calls for continued public enlightenment to counter misconceptions.

Maikyau stated, “There is no provision in the SAMOA agreement that requires Nigeria to accept or recognize LGBTQ or gay rights, either as a pre-condition for a loan of $150 Billion USD or at all.

“Instead, the agreement was expressly made subject to the local laws and the sovereignty of the contracting Nations.

“That is to say, the SAMOA agreement recognizes Nigeria’s Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act, 2023 and the Supremacy of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

“For the avoidance of any doubt, the SAMOA agreement does not seek to compromise our existing legislations nor undermine the sovereignty of Nigeria,” he added.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The Council of Legal Education, CLE, has released the 2022 Bar ll examination results.

The results of the Bar finals were released by the council in the early hours of Thursday. Students of the Nigerian Law School who spoke to The Daily Reality confirmed that they have checked their results.

The NigeriaLawyer reports that 119 students representing 2.05% bagged first class, 787 representing 13.56%, and 2460 representing 42.40% secured Second Class Upper and Lower divisions respectively. Also, 1323 students constituting 22.8% made a pass, while the conditional pass category had 185 students making 3.19%.

For a person to be qualified to practice as a legal practitioner in Nigeria, he is required to be enrolled at the Nigerian Law School and Pass the Bar Finals.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari.

Senator Kashim Shettima, the Vice Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, said he deliberately wore sneakers to the conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

In a video which has now gone viral, Shettima stated the reason for his sense of fashion.

He disclosed that he dressed in that manner to ridicule the association for their planned mischief against his party’s Presidential Candidate, Bola Ahmad Tinubu.

Shettima’s outfits to the NBA Conference held at EKO Hotels in Lagos has sparked different reactions across the country.

While some urged critics to ignore what they termed fashion blunder and focus on real matters, others berated him.

By Hussaini Hussaini

Like any other election, the NBA Elections, 2022 has come and gone with winners and runner-ups (not losers). But, of course, not without some cries.

In every contest, it is incumbent that one contestant must be the victor, and the other will lose that opportunity to be in the winner’s position. It is painful to lose in a sports competition, literally being a contest for gold, silver, and bronze. Hence, the word “sportsmanship” explains the endurance required of a loser in a sports competition.

However, it is different when it comes to a leadership contest in which a person who believes in his capacity to serve certain people or organizations presents himself for election. On the one hand, their election ought to be defined as a win for the organization that now has a servant. But, on the other hand, defeating his co-contestants ought to be described as a relief for those contestants from the burden of service.

Defeat in an election is another opportunity for a defeated contestant to rethink his manifesto and plans for his constituents if he genuinely means service to them. It is also an opportunity to rebuild their personal relationship with voters.

A candidate in an election is presumed to have vied for that office out of love for his constituents. This, therefore, presupposes that the said candidate respects those he is presumed to love and their choices because the election itself determines the choice of those constituents.

An election is not a do-or-die affair. Any candidate who takes it otherwise and creates animosity before or after an election will never make a good leader. This is a religious injunction in my faith of Islam. I have seen similar biblical rulings like Proverbs 28:25, which states: “The greedy stir up conflict, but those who trust in the Lord will prosper.”

NBADECIDES2022 was an election for the leadership of the noblest profession in Nigeria. But, unfortunately, within less than 24 hours of the conduct/declaration of the results, several, apparently sponsored, persons or those crying more than the bereaved were seen maligning the candidates-elect and the ECNBA, the electoral umpire.

Having said the above, conceding an apparent defeat in an election by a candidate does not depict the candidate as weak. On the contrary, it simply presents the candidate as a hero who meant his words by respecting the choice of the people he sought to lead. The example of former President Jonathan is not far away, and the sad contrary situation could be seen in Ivory Coast.

In short, the fruit of conceding an apparent defeat may provide several opportunities and consideration to a runner-up candidate over and above what his election would have otherwise provided.

I hope this piece will be found worthy.

Hussaini can be reached via hussaini4good@gmail.com.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The Lagos Campus of the Nigerian Law School is set to discipline a student for drinking water from a bottle instead of a cup provided at the Law School Dinner table. 

A query letter making round on social media, dated June 20, 2022, and signed by one Mrs Fagbemi Charity Titilayo on behalf of the Lagos Campus’ Director & Head of Academics, disclosed the development. 

“It has been reported by the Director and head of Academics on June 16 2022, that while the Law Dinner was ongoing in the Dining Hall, you were found putting a bottle of water in your mouth when a glass cup was on your table ” Part of the query letter reads. 

The query letter further demanded that the student explain that disciplinary actions should not be taken regarding the unprofessional behaviour. 

“Consequently, you are requested to explain why disciplinary action should not be taken against you for violating Rule 6 (29) of the Code of Conduct of Students of Nigerian Law School on dinner etiquette and manners”, The letter reads. 

Although, at the time of fielding this report, the Nigerian Law School has yet to confirm or denounce the development. However, the Nigerian Law School is known for their strict adherence to written basic rules and etiquette. It is universally believed that good character and an uncompromising sense of decorum make a lawyer.

By Hussaini Hussaini

There were gruesome murders of one pregnant Muslim woman, Harira and her four innocent kids, and six other innocent Northerners killed in Anambra State. There was also arson on goods and livestock worth millions of naira belonging to Northerners in the southeast. As per Daily Trust Newspaper reports of May 24, 2022, and other sources, all the crimes were carried out by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). However, there was a habitual dead silence of other media houses. One of the victims, a Northern Christian, was said to have been killed and disfigured by the terrorist for his “offence” of being a northerner and securing a job in the southeast.

We are in a country where God in His infinite Mercies sandwiched diverse tribes and religions to live with each other. This, some may call a colonial act of 1914 in which the regions of the geographical location that was to become Nigerian were amalgamated. I see it ordinarily as a divine opportunity for success.

This amalgamation would have served a positive purpose for Nigeria post-independence if the citizens had united themselves for genuine national (not regional or personal) interest, just as the Europeans united themselves in sharing Africa as a spoil of war on the table in the Berlin Conference.

Unfortunately, Nigeria has been so divided by strives with ethnic, religious, and political colouration since its independence. We witnessed the happenings that led us to January 15 and the counter-coup of the 1960s down to the civil war. Those sad events should have served as lessons for us to think about how to live with one another in peace since divisions and strives had severally proven to be futile in solving our respective problems.

However, turns of events have shown that the gap between us has kept widening. Even the people at the helm of affairs and presumed outstanding intellectuals such as the leadership of the legal profession are taking sides and showing extreme bias in addressing issues that can touch the roots of our unity as a country. A typical example is a press release of  May 17, 2022, by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) president, Mr Olumide Akpata. He took time to condemn the happenings in Sokoto over the killing of Debora Samuel. She blasphemed and uttered abusive, vulgar words against the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (Peace be upon him).

In the same statement, Mr Akpata passively mentioned some killings of innocent Nigerians, including a military couple killed in the south by the terrorist organization, IPOB. Mr President held the brief of IPOB terrorists by referring to them as “Unknown Gun Men” as the southern media hypocritically cloned them. However, the NBA President made it clear through his press release that the statement and the cancellation of the scheduled NBA-Spidel in Sokoto were in honour of Debora, not the late military couple who was in a sane environment supposed to be national heroes.

To Muslims, who form the majority inhabitants of northern Nigeria, their lives and that of their families and everything they own should go astray if that loss will prevent any slur on the honour of Prophets Muhammad and Jesus, Mary, or any other prophet of God almighty (may peace be upon them all). In order words, Debora would not have been attacked by any mob if she’s only accused of killing a Muslim in their private affairs in Sokoto, just as some Igbo kidnappers who killed a Muslim Colonel a few years ago in Kaduna; and the Christians who killed Gen. Alkali in Du village in Jos.

Blasphemy committed by Debora is one of the highest abuses and attacks on the Muslims, which was capable of putting the entire region in flames. Still, our Bar President found it very worthy to state that his statement and postponement of NBA-Spidel was in her honour without showing any concern about the root of the evil. Idolizing Deborah without equally condemning blasphemy in all its ramifications is abuse and over trivialization of the sensibilities of the Muslim community, most significantly, the members of our noble profession.

All the Muslim leaders who spoke on the Debora issue, such as the Sultan, Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir, and Prof. Mansur Sokoto, have condemned mob action as they equally condemned the intolerant and provocative act of blasphemy. This would have been a fairer pattern of address to be employed by our President as a leader. Four years ago, I wrote two published articles to condemn blasphemy and mob action.

Ebikebuna Augustine Aluzu Esq responded to Mr Akpata’s statement thus: “in honour” is she an NBA Member?”. He concluded: “…People get gruesomely murdered in Nigeria daily. If NBA wants to stand against jungle justice, it should not be selective”. The NBA President would have done better if he stayed within his mandate fairly. However, since Mr President has chosen to throw his hat in the ring, what goes around comes around, they say. Hence, we will patiently await the personal reaction of the NBA President on the recent killings of northerners in the southeast.

Hussaini Hussaini wrote from Abuja via hussaini4good@gmail.com.