The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has moved to suspend a local branch leader after he purportedly appointed a man convicted of stealing billions in pension funds as a “grand patron” of the legal body.
The national leadership of the NBA said the appointment of Abdulrasheed Maina by the Garki branch in Abuja made a “mockery of the legal profession” and undermined the country’s fight against corruption.
Mr Maina, a former chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, was convicted in 2021 for money laundering and stealing over N2 billion ($1.2m; £1m) from elderly retirees. The case was one of the most high-profile corruption scandals in Nigeria’s recent history.
A ‘direct affront’ to justice
In a strongly worded statement, NBA President Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, described the actions of the Garki branch chairman, Anthony Bamidele Ojo, as “reprehensible” and “putrid.”
The NBA argued that the move essentially laundered the image of a criminal convict and violated the core values of the legal profession.
“The Bar fails in her duties to the society and the cause of justice when it condones, encourages, or fails to take definite actions to eliminate corruption,” the statement read.
Conflict of interest
The controversy is further complicated by the fact that Mr. Maina’s case is currently being appealed at the Supreme Court. The NBA accused the local chairman of trying to “sway public opinion” in favour of a litigant while a case is still sub judice (under judicial consideration).
While the Association acknowledged Mr. Maina’s right to appeal, it stated it would “NOT under any guise” lend its institutional credibility to support him.
Disciplinary action
The national body has issued a series of immediate directives:
- Withdrawal: The Garki branch must immediately cancel the appointment of Mr. Maina.
- Cease and Desist: The chairman has been ordered to stop issuing any further statements in support of the convict.
- Sanctions: Disciplinary proceedings have been launched against Mr. Ojo for conduct inconsistent with the NBA constitution.
The pension scandal background
The 2021 conviction of Abdulrasheed Maina followed a dramatic trial in which he initially fled the country to Niger before being extradited.
The court found that he had used fictitious names to open bank accounts and used the stolen pension funds to purchase luxury properties in Abuja. The “Garki Branch” incident has reopened old wounds for many Nigerians who viewed the original case as a litmus test for the country’s ability to punish powerful officials.
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