The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has set up a panel to probe allegations of s3xual assault against the suspended Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Calabar, Prof. Cyril Ndifon.
The body is also investigating the claim of the attempted bribery of Justice Flora Azinge of the National Assembly and State House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Kano.
The association, in a statement Saturday, said its National Executive Committee (NEC) took the decision at her recent monthly meeting presided over by NBA President, Yakubu Maikyau, (SAN) and which had all National Officers of the association in attendance.
It reads: “In the wake of recent events that border on allegations of professional misconduct against some members of the legal profession, we find it pertinent to bring you up to speed with some steps that have been taken by the leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
“The NBA has resolved to investigate the allegations of sexual assault against the suspended Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Calabar, Prof. Cyril Ndifon.
“The NBA NEC subsequently empanelled an ad-hoc committee comprising the 1st Vice President of the NBA, Mrs Linda Rose Bala, the Assistant General Secretary of the NBA, Mr Daniel Kip, Chairperson of NBA Women’s Forum and the Chairman of the NBA Calabar Branch, to investigate the allegations against the University Don.”
It also referenced the alleged attempted bribe of Justice Flora Azinge of the National Assembly and State House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Kano.
It said the NBA had, by a letter dated 16th August 2023, formally requested his lordship to avail the NBA of further details in this regard to enable investigation into this allegation.
The National Officers also deliberated on the unbecoming conduct of some members of the legal profession.
The statement disclosed that the NBA has filed petitions at the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) against Mr Hudu Yunusa-Ari, the suspended Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Ifunanya Excel Grant, a young lawyer of Aba Branch wildly known as “the baddest lawyer” on social media.
It added that “Yunusa-Ari was petitioned over his role in illegally declaring the result of the supplementary 2023 gubernatorial election in Adamawa State while votes were still being counted. While the complaints against Miss Ifunanya centred on her social media notoriety of posting pictures and videos of herself unclad and smoking marijuana.
“While it is important to underscore the fact that none of the lawyers petitioned or being investigated is deemed guilty of professional misconduct until the LPDC hands down its decisions after fair trial, the NBA President has emphasised the need for lawyers to continue to be of best conduct wherever they find themselves, and he reiterated that the present NBA leadership will not relent in ridding the profession of the very few bad eggs that may be found.”
Peoplesmind
Post a Comment