CSOs commend NBA President for supporting rule of law

A coalition of civil society organizations on Friday commended the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Afam Osigwe (SAN), for his principled demonstration of support for the rule of law by appearing at the Federal High Court in Abuja last Wednesday, January 29, 2025, to observe proceedings in the arraignment of human rights and pro-democracy campaigner, Omoyele Sowore, on alleged cybercrime charges.

The CSO coalition in a joint statement by Media Rights Agenda (MRA), Hope Behind Bars Africa, Restorative Justice for Africa Initiative, Paradigm Initiative (PIN), Yiaga Africa, NULAI NIGERIA, BO Foundation for Inclusive Media (BOFIM), Human Rights Journalists Network Nigeria (HRJN), International Press Centre (IPC), Global Rights, Nigeria Network of NGOs, Sesor Empowerment Foundation, Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC), Dataphyte Foundation, Digicivic Initiative, and TechHerNG, noted that the symbolic yet courageous act of the NBA President underscored the critical role of legal professionals in general, and the NBA, in particular, in safeguarding democratic principles and ensuring that justice prevails in our society.

According to the coalition, the NBA President’s presence in court sent a strong message about the importance of transparency, fairness, and accountability in the judicial process.

“It demonstrated that the legal profession remains vigilant and committed to upholding the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution of Nigeria.

“We recognize this action as a significant step towards promoting public confidence in the judiciary based on the fact that while no one is above the law, there are at the same time widespread concerns about persistent disregard for due process and judicial independence.

“In light of this commendable gesture, we urge the Nigerian Bar Association to institutionalize court observation by establishing dedicated legal monitoring teams to undertake such trial observations. We also call on the NBA to play a proactive role in advocating for judicial reforms, ensuring the protection of human rights defenders, and challenging the weaponization of the Cybercrime Act against activists and journalists.

“This would serve as a further practical demonstration of the legal profession’s commitment to protecting human rights and democratic principles, especially given that one of the NBA’s institutional core objectives is “to promote and protect the principles of the Rule of Law and respect for Human Rights”.

“We further recommend that the NBA engages with relevant stakeholders, including civil society organizations, to develop a framework for identifying cases that require observation and ensuring continuous advocacy for judicial integrity.

“The collective responsibility of legal practitioners, civil society, and citizens is crucial for the preservation of democracy and the rule of law. We stand ready to support the NBA in any way necessary to ensure the success of this initiative.

“Once again, we commend the NBA President for setting this commendable precedent and call on all stakeholders to remain vigilant in the defense of justice and democracy in Nigeria,” the coalition declared.