The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) convened its Pre-Conference National Executive Council (NEC) Meeting on Saturday, 23rd August 2025, at the Multipurpose Hall of the International Conference Centre, Enugu. The session, presided over by the NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, brought together NEC members, branch delegates, past presidents, eminent members of the Bar, and representatives of fraternal bar associations. With the 2025 Annual General Conference on the horizon, the gathering provided a platform to address pressing issues concerning the Association, the legal profession, and the broader Nigerian society.
Deliberations at the meeting covered a wide range of national and professional concerns, including governance, the rule of law, human rights, security, professional ethics, and continuing legal education. The NEC underscored the NBA’s responsibility as a defender of constitutional democracy and pledged to continue speaking truth to power. In particular, the Council emphasized the need for accountability and adherence to due process in political leadership, while also calling for greater discipline and humility among new branch officers and leaders within the Association.
In its communiqué, NEC condemned increasing cases of brutality by security agencies, citing the inhuman treatment of a female air passenger and the assault of a youth corps member in Anambra State. The Council resolved to shift from mere press statements to active public interest litigation in order to secure remedies for victims of human rights violations. It also decried rising non-state policing structures, stressing that any form of state or community policing must be subjected to strict regulation and oversight to protect citizens’ rights.
The Council further rejected the Department of State Services’ (DSS) screening of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) aspirants, describing the exercise as degrading and inconsistent with professional standards. It also condemned controversial police regulatory policies such as the tinted glass permit and the Electronic Central Motor Registry, vowing to challenge them in court. NEC commended the AGC Planning Committee, led by Chief Emeka Obegolu, SAN, for its diligence in logistics and safety arrangements, while applauding the hospitality of the Enugu State Government. The meeting concluded with a charge to all members of the Bar to remain steadfast in upholding professional ethics, protecting human rights, and defending the rule of law.
