By Joseph Onyekwere,
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has tasked the Federal Government to always obey court orders. It also demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, his wife and other detainees.
NBA said the apparent disobedience to court orders was a sad commentary on the readiness of Federal Government agencies to comply with the principles of rule of law and respect for human rights.
Addressing the press during the weekend in Lagos at the commemoration of the International Human Rights Day, the NBA’s President, Abubakar Mahmoud (SAN), said the association was deeply concerned about the continued disobedience of court orders by the Federal Government.
His words: “This disobedience is not only unacceptable to the NBA, it is antithetical to the principles of rule of law and due process. The NBA is deeply worried about the huge loss of lives and property as a result of insurgency, armed robbery, kidnapping, militancy, extra judicial executions and other rights violations.
“On October 31, 2016 I inaugurated the NBA North East and Niger Delta taskforces in fulfillment of my promise to the Bar and the Nigerian people to address the humanitarian issues in the two regions as a result of insurgent and militant activities. The work of the taskforce will begin to come to limelight early next year.”
On the report by Amnesty International (AI) concerning the killing of unarmed members of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in the South East, Mahmoud said the association would set up a committee to probe the claim.
He also called on the members and leadership of the IMN to stop using allegedly inciting language that is capable of fomenting civil unrest and precipitating religious crisis in Nigeria.
“Nigeria is a nation governed by law and constitutional democracy.
