NBA Warns Buhari on Fighting Corruption with Corruption

The Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) at its 56th annual conference opening event  urged President Muhammadu Buhari to desist from fighting corruption with corruption.

According to a report by the Punch,  the position of the lawyers was made known by president of the association, Mr Augustin Alegeh, in his opening remarks at the ongoing conference in Port-Harcourt, capital of Rivers state.

Alegeh in urging President Buhari to avoid fighting corruption with corruption however assured the federal government of the NBA’s support for a genuine war against corruption.

He said: “We stand with the government in its fight against corruption; we recognise that our country is bedevilled with corruption, but we believe that corruption should be fought according to the law.

“Any attempt to fight corruption with backhand tactics will mean using corruption to fight corruption. If the fight against corruption is to collect what belongs to one man and give it to another man, then count us, the NBA out,” Alegeh stressed.

Beyond his remarks about the danger of fighting corruption with corruption, the NBA president also criticised the delivery of contrasting judgments by the judiciary on similar matters, adding that the association was embarrassed by the development.

Alegeh therefore called on relevant authorities in the judiciary to address the issue, describing it as a shame to the third arm of government.

“We are embarrassed by the conflicting court judgments delivered by judges on similar matters. We call on the Chief Justice of the Federation to address this issue,” he added.

Alegeh equally appealed to the National Human Rights Commission to look into the problem of 60 per cent of prison inmates awaiting trial for many years rather than delving into matters concerning politicians and oil spills.

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, himself a lawyer, who doubles as chairman of the local organising committee of the NBA conference, said though Nigeria was practising democracy, it would not amount to prosperity without work.