Nnamdi Kanu: Barring lawyers from courtrooms is equal to suspension of constitution – Counsels

Lawyers have frowned at the decision of security operatives who have continued to prevent their colleagues from having access to the courtrooms during trials. They stressed that the courtroom is the “temple of justice” for lawyers; hence they can’t be barred from having access.

They noted that shutting lawyers out of courtrooms is tantamount to suspending the judicial arm of government from functioning.

Recall that the Department of State Services, DSS, had on Tuesday barred some lawyers from having access into the courtroom for the trial of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, at the Abuja Federal High Court.

Some lawyers including Kanu’s legal representatives from the United States, Fein we’re denied access into the courtroom, a situation that led Justice Binta Nyako to adjourn the matter till January, 2022.

However, an Abuja-based human right lawyer, Maduabuchi Idam, has condemned the prevention of lawyers from gaining access into the courtroom on the 10th of November 2021.


Idam described such an action as an aberration and impunity committed by the executive arm against the fundamental human rights of the entire Nigerian people.


Speaking with DAILY POST, Idam noted that the “act is an infringement on the rights to liberty of lawyers and also a deprivation of rights of Nigerian citizens to counsel as guaranteed under sections 35 and 36 (6),(C) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999(as Amended) respectively.”


He stated that, “barring lawyers from accessing the courtroom is tantamount to suspending the entire judicial arm of government, as the courts cannot function without lawyers to present and advocate the cause of their clients.”

According to Idam: “I dare say that the action is not just undemocratic but an invitation of anarchy, lawlessness, and a sign of total breakdown of peace and order which will ultimately affect not just lawyers but the Nigerian people at large. These and many more brazen executive rascality are characteristics of a failed state”.

He continued by saying “I shed tears each time I imagine what will be the image of Nigeria before the international scene as no democratic system any where in the world can support such primitive abuse of power.


Just a few days ago, precisely on the 19th of October 2021, the people of Nigeria woke up to the news of the invasion of the home of a justice of the Supreme Court, My Lord Hon. Justice Marry Odili by state sponsored miscreants, and here is another shameful act of the state by barring lawyers from accessing the court rooms through the machineries of the executive.


These and many more irresponsible actions of this government has continued to demarket Nigeria at the international scene, thereby reducing the country’s chances of attracting either foreign investment or portfolio investment as no sane investor will consider a country like Nigeria for investment, a country where banditry has taken over, a country where independence of the judiciary is not guaranteed, a country where a lawyer is not at liberty to access the court and plead the cause of his client, such an investor will be running a serious risk of losing his investment knowing that the machineries of justice will not be free to do justice when needed.

Barring lawyers from accessing the court under any guise must be condemned by every voice in Nigeria as I consider it as another attempt by the executive to suspend the fundamental human rights of the Nigerian people as guaranteed by chapter 4 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, and the African Chatter on Human and Peoples Right. This is because no democratic government in the world is permitted to administer its citizens through the barrels of guns order than the provisions of the constitution.

Also, a legal practitioner based in Abuja, Anthony Ehilebo, said security operatives have no business preventing lawyers from gaining access into courtrooms, stressing that a fully roped lawyer should have unhindered access to any part of the courtroom.

Ehilebo urged judges to make proclamations that prevent security operatives from gaining access into courtrooms.

Speaking with DAILY POST,Ehilebo said: “The security operatives have no business in the court of law order than to bring people and allow the court to administer justice. I want to put it on record that we must ask for a higher standard of our judges, and since they have control of their courtrooms, they must proclaim that those of us that are caprice in the temple of justice are allowed unhindered access into this temple.

“They have no business restricting our movement into the temple of justice, irrespective of the matter they have. When a lawyer is roped, he has the right to access anywhere in the temple of justice because he is standing for the people he represents; he should have unfettered access into the courtroom, even on matters where the witnesses shielded. Even in matters where confidentiality is involved, he is allowed to enter the most screened court sessions.”

When asked if there are provisions in the constitution that frowns against such action, Ehilebo said: “I don’t think there is a provision that prohibits such actions but what the lawyer is expected to do is seek refuge under those who have the power of proclamation which is the judge.

The judges have to take responsibility for the temples they administer. If the lawyer can go before the judge in such an instance, saying “we have not been allowed access into the courtroom”, the judge would now make a proclamation restricting security agencies from carrying out such action and, of course, that would immediately be implemented.


“If the judge today were to say the president of Nigeria is no longer consistent, that becomes a law. Once a judge is speaking and goes into proclamation, that becomes law. And like I said earlier, we must hide under this proclamation while we pressure our legislators associated with the judiciary to make laws that would protect the sovereignty of our judicial process.”

https://dailypost.ng/2021/11/14/nnamdi-kanu-barring-lawyers-from-courtrooms-is-equal-to-suspension-of-constitution-counsels/

mtcheeew!

Noted

But we saw the lawyers inside the Court room, snapping pictures with Kanu.

If I were to become the President not this country come 2023, every soul that sanction this nonsense in the police will go for urgent retirement or very serious demotion.

modsfucker:
But we saw the lawyers inside the Court room, snapping pictures with Kanu.

You don't know how to read or you just don't understand basic English?

So they have barred your lawyers from the court premise.

Do your worst

RuggedBiafran:
IPOB giving this useless regime GBAS..GBOS...everywhere!!...

Una Never see anything...una must GBA!!

Who is giving Gbas gbos? FG or Igbos?

When FG dey only make use of adjournment to pepper Kanu which is just the beginning

Charge and bail lawyers with their ridiculous statement!!!


Ejiofor is naive. He should have remained in the courtroom. The oyibo lawyer was an ordinary spectator.



Rights of foreign lawyers/firms


Foreign lawyers practising in Nigeria must have been admitted to the Nigerian Bar.

Without admission, a foreign lawyer cannot practise law in Nigeria except to a limited extent where he/she obtains a warrant from the Chief Justice for the purposes of a specific proceeding or appeals arising from such proceedings (see above, Temporary
services ).

In Nigeria, firms are a vehicle for organising legal practice but not as legal personalities being capable of practising law (Okafor v Nweke (2007) 10 NWLR (Pt 1043) 521 ).

Only lawyers can practise law, so foreign law firms as such cannot practise law in Nigeria. Foreign lawyers must pass the Nigerian bar exams to practise law in Nigeria.



On security:
Nnamdi Kanu is held for terrorism, so security measures are put in place to avoid him escaping.
You don't expect every Tom, Dick and Harry to be in court when the prosecuted person is a 'high profile' criminal.

Emergingnation:
We will do our worst in the coming days, and your IQ deficients terrorist government will cry more

Something you have already been doing.

Like Taliban , like Igbos

okoo

The lawyers might be security threat to the court sitting as well the idiotic traditional rulers seeking apku

modsfucker:
But we saw the lawyers inside the Court room, snapping pictures with Kanu.

Don’t mind those Ipobian jargonist, unrepentant Propaganda wailers they think the Zoo Court has any sympathy or respect for that fugitive terrorist Secessionist? He will be quarantined & treated like a K9 suffering from rabies & covid 19.

helinues:
So they have barred your lawyers from the court premise.

Do your worst

No.matter how una lick fulani balls, Tinubu will never be the president of this country.

Hold on, they are coming for him. It's Nnamdi Kanu today, who knows who it will be tomorrow?

Emergingnation:
Lol ! Imagine your Imaginery Taliban gaining sympathy across the Developed countries

Only USA & it’s fellow Europeans Oyibo follow follow supremacist have problems with the Taliban, I believe the United States has agreed last week to engage The Taliban indirectly through their close ally Qatar?

clarocuzioo:


No.matter how una lick fulani balls, Tinubu will never be the president of this country.

Hold on, they are coming for him. It's Nnamdi Kanu today, who knows who it will be tomorrow?

If not Muslim Tinubu, it is Christian Osinbajo? Anyway it is a win win situation for Lagos State, Eko Oni Baje.

adamsmith914:
If not Muslim Tinubu, it is Christian Osinbajo? Anyway it is a win win situation for Lagos State, Eko Oni Baje.

Hehe hehe, I laugh in Swahili. Yes Osibanjo is a better candidate than Tinubu, but the question is,Will he truly win a Presidential election?

Give Osibanjo Presidential Ticket of APC and see PDP coasting to victory and popping champagne.

You people are yet to understand the difference between regional and National politics.

clarocuzioo:



Hehe hehe, I laugh in Swahili. Yes Osibanjo is a better candidate than Tinubu, but the question is,Will he truly win a Presidential election?

Give Osibanjo Presidential Ticket of APC and see PDP coasting to victory and popping champagne.

You people are yet to understand the difference between regional and National politics.

Pdp will never rule Nigeria again @ Federal level, so stop hoping for an illusion like Biafra, even Apga has a better chance, Jonathan’s personal ambition in 2015 threw the jokers into the eternal dustbin of politics in Nigeria.

clarocuzioo:


No.matter how una lick fulani balls, Tinubu will never be the president of this country.

Hold on, they are coming for him. It's Nnamdi Kanu today, who knows who it will be tomorrow?

SEBI Atiku is from Ibeku in Abia state hence preparing to lick his ass in 2023.

Hiss

clarocuzioo:



Hehe hehe, I laugh in Swahili. Yes Osibanjo is a better candidate than Tinubu, but the question is,Will he truly win a Presidential election?

Give Osibanjo Presidential Ticket of APC and see PDP coasting to victory and popping champagne.

You people are yet to understand the difference between regional and National politics.

President Buhari has been out of the country for over 2 weeks now, maybe it is your father, or your mother’s brother that has been presiding over the National Executive Council weekly meetings?

1512twlve:
[s][/s]
your harlot mother is forking random dogs just for 400 naira

Keep quiet, Ipobian Mumu, low life, see the kind of language you use?

helinues:


SEBI Atiku is from Ibeku in Abia state hence preparing to lick his ass in 2023.

Hiss

heheheheheh, they will always chase after Igbos leaving their real threats.

The votes that will make Atiku president will not come from south east, it will come from Kano, Katsina , Kaduna and other northern region.

South east want Biafra as such their will be low voters turn out.

Una never learn.

Awolowo learnt in a hard way that's why he ended up with Otapipia.

MKO Abiola also learnt in a hard way.

History is about repeating itself.

Am just watching in 3D

This statement is a food for thought.

"YOU CANNOT SIT DOWN IN LAGOS AND DECIDE ZONING FOR APC -PMB 2021

And some fools frown when Nigeria is called a zoo! Is there any clearer proof that the judiciary is in the Fulani despots pocket!? All this was happening in her court....she was aware of it, yet played along as per the script written in Aso Rock!