Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has expressed strong disapproval of comments made by the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ola Olukoyede.
The controversy arose after Olukoyede accused lawyers of facilitating corrupt practices and aiding illicit financial flows into offshore accounts during his speech at the 6th Annual Criminal Law Review Conference in Abuja.
The NBA, led by its President Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, has firmly rejected these allegations, demanding that Olukoyede provide concrete evidence to support his claims. Osigwe stated, "We challenge the EFCC Chairman to come up with empirical evidence and if he cannot, he should never make such statements again."
He emphasized that while there may be a few "bad eggs," the majority of lawyers uphold integrity and professionalism.
Olukoyede cited high-profile cases like the P&ID scam and the Mambilla Power Project as examples of legal complicity in financial misconduct.
However, the NBA argues that these assertions unfairly tarnish the reputation of the legal profession. Osigwe pointed out that "very few lawyers, to my knowledge, have been prosecuted by the EFCC for aiding money laundering."
The NBA has threatened legal action against the EFCC Chairman if such accusations persist, underscoring the need to protect the image of the legal profession. Furthermore, the NBA encourages anyone with evidence against any lawyer to submit a petition to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC).
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