#EndBadGovernance Protests: Your Lawyers Are Nowhere To Be Found In Sokoto, Yobe, Kano, Kaduna, Sowore Tells Nigerian Bar Association
Despite the NBA’s announcement of nationwide support, Sowore pointed out that there are no NBA lawyers in Sokoto, Yobe, Kano, and Kaduna states, where protests have been met with violence and detentions.
Omoyele Sowore, Convener of the #RevolutionNow Movement, has criticised the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) for failing to provide pro bono legal support to #EndBadGovernance protesters in several Northern states.
Despite the NBA’s announcement of nationwide support, Sowore pointed out that there are no NBA lawyers in Sokoto, Yobe, Kano, and Kaduna states, where protests have been met with violence and detentions.
He questioned the NBA’s absence in these critical areas and urged the association to deploy lawyers to provide legal aid to detained protesters in these states.
“NBA probing lawyers are needed in Sokoto, Yobe, Kano and Kaduna, we can’t find them to help detained and persons who rights have been violated since the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeriaNow protest started. What’s going on?” Sowore wrote in a post on his X account on Saturday night.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that the NBA announced the establishment of pro bono legal support services for #EndBadGovernance protesters nationwide, providing free legal assistance to those in need.
The NBA President, Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau (SAN) in a statement issued through the National Publicity Secretary, Akorede Habeeb Lawal, said that all 130 NBA branch chairmen and chairpersons had been directed to mobilise their Human Rights Committees to address any breaches of fundamental rights observed during protests.
Maikyau said it was important to ensure that their respective Human Rights Committees addressed any observed or reported cases of breaches of fundamental rights, harassment, intimidation, or torture perpetrated by law enforcement agents, protesters, or other identified members of the public during the protest.
