JUDICIARY
Lawyers Announce New Body to Rival NBA
Some legal practitioners in Nigeria have established another professional association of lawyers known as the Law Society of Nigeria (LSN) thereby splitting the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
The association which is led by Kunle Ogunba (SAN), according to its promoters, was formed to break the monopoly of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), which is the sole umbrella body for the legal profession in Nigeria since 1933.
A copy of its certificate of registration showed that it was registered as far back as December 1994.
On its Twitter page @LawSocietyofNig, the association describes itself as an alternative for change.
It has Ogunba as its president, Hon.
Nimi Walson-Jack as the vice president and Abdulquadir Sani as the secretary.Other members are Olasupo Ojo as its welfare secretary, Chioma Ferguson as its treasurer and Douglas Ogbankwa (publicity secretary).
In a swift reaction to the formation of the group, Richard Oma Ahonaruogho (SAN) who described himself as the founding secretary of LSN asked lawyers in the country to ignore the list of the purported executive committee of the association.
Ahonaruogho said consultation was still ongoing and that the announcement made in the press statement issued by Douglas Ogbankwa was hasty.
Ogbankwa had said in the statement he issued yesterday that the association was formed to redefine the ideas of the founding fathers of the profession.
He described the legal profession in Nigeria as having a chequered history spanning from “the sublime to the ridiculous. This is in keeping with international best practices, which allow for an alternative, to ensure that lawyers thrive within the realm of those they have shared values with.
“The Law Society of Nigeria promises to up the ante, in matters that have been ignored in the legal profession, prominent of which are premium on members’ welfare and an open and transparent system in choosing leaders of the legal profession at the national level,” he said.
But Ahonaruogho stated that “my attention has just been drawn to the purported executive committee of the Law Society of Nigeria (LSN) and hereby wish to assure all legal practitioners in Nigeria that the purported executive committee is unknown to the Law Society of Nigeria (LSN).
“The Law Society of Nigeria (LSN) was incorporated on 28th December 1994, by my good self, Richard Oma Ahonaruogho, as convener and as secretary with Charles I. Idehen as chairman.
“The idea was to save the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) from self-destruction after the 1992 Port Harcourt crisis and we have over the years reviewed the need to keep the Nigerian lawyers under the main umbrella of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
“Recent events in the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) have led to an increasing agitation for the full commencement of activities of the Law Society of Nigeria (LSN) for which some representatives of the persons now claiming to be Executives of the Law Society of Nigeria (LSN) held a meeting with me and one of the promoters of the Law Society of Nigeria on 6th October 2022, in Lagos, where their appeal for the commencement of full activities was tabled, considered and deferred for further consultations with some of the other key promoters and the sole surviving Trustees.
“The logo and motto: Justice For All on the purported letter claiming to be that of the Law Society of Nigeria (LSN) are alien to the Law Society of Nigeria (LSN) and amount to the tort of passing-off.”
“That the offices known to the Law Society of Nigeria (LSN) as provided for in Article 6 of the Constitution of the Law Society of Nigeria dated 10th February 1994, and submitted to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) are as follows: president, president-elect, chair of the House of Delegates, secretary, treasurer, secretary-elect, treasurer-elect, executive vice president
“In conclusion, on behalf of the promoters of the Law Society of Nigeria (LSN) and as founding secretary, I hereby state categorically that no executive has been appointed for the Law Society of Nigeria as of today, Sunday 30th, October 2022, and that the purported notice should be disregarded,” he said.
Justice Maryann Anenih o a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) high court on Tuesday struck out the bail application filed by former governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi.Anenih struck out the application on the grounds that it was filed when the former governor was yet to be taken into custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The application was filed on Nov. 22, while the former governor was taken into custody of the anti-graft agency on Nov. 26 and arraigned on Nov. 27.(NAN)Details later….
Five men, on Monday appeared before an Ota Magistrates’ Court in Ogun, for allegedly stealing a truck load of Milo products worth N25 million.The defendants, Temidire Ramon, 35, Aminu Yusuf, 26; Olusola Opadare, 35; Oludayo Adeleye, 38, and Amodu Jimoh, 51, are standing tial on a two-count charge of stealing and conspiracy.
The prosecutor, Insp E. O.Adaraloye, told the court that the defendants committed the offences on Oct. 13, 2020, at Agbara in Ogun.Adaraloye, said that the defendants conspired and stole a truck load of Milo products valued at N25 million, belonging to Nestle Company.He said that the offences contravened Sections 390(9) and 516 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun, 2006.They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.The Magistrate, Mr O.A Onagoruwa, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N500,000 each with two sureties each in like sum.He ordered that the sureties must be gainfully employed and must reside within the court’s jurisdiction.Onagoruwa also ordered that the sureties must show evidence of tax payment to Ogun State Government.He adjourned the case until Dec.12 for hearing. (NAN)
A Grade 1 Area Court, Kubwa has granted Maryam Muhammad custody of two children from her former husband, Bashir.
The judge, Musa Sabo ordered Bashir to pay Muhammad N175,000 for a self contained apartment in arrears following the plaintiff’s claim of already paid rent.
Sabo added that Bashir should secure a self contained apartment or pay the plaintiff N250, 000 annually for accommodation.
He said that the children would spend first and third term holidays with their father and second term holidays with their mother.
The judge said the father could pick his children up every weekend for outings within 10a.m to 6.pm from the mother and notify her before hand.
He also ordered him to pay outstanding school fees if any and pay the plaintiff arrears for the fees she claimed to pay after verifying same as she failed to prove it.
Sabo ordered Bashir to pay N40,000 from October 2023 To February 2024 and subsequently pay N45,000 monthly for the children’s upkeep..
Regarding the children’s medication, he ordered Bashir to make an arrangement based on his financial capability.
Earlier, the plaintiff approached the court for custody of her children, maintenance, Islamiyya school fees, enrollment of one of the children in a special needs school and transportation.
She also sought for Bashir to refund N770, 000 which she paid for her house rent with the children and pay for the medicals of the children.
Bashir however said his ex-wife paid the rent without his consent adding that he is a civil servant and not financially capable.
“I do not earn up to N2 million annually and I am currently paying N600,000 rent annually. My children are already under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS),” he said.(NAN)
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