Warri NBA withdraws legal service to kidnap suspects

By Emma Amaize, Warri

THE Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, Warri, Delta State  has directed lawyers not to offer  legal representation to any person(s) arrested and  charged with the offence of kidnapping in the state.

NBA’s tough resolution came on the heels of the recent arrest and arraignment in court of a Warri-based lawyer and activist, Mr. Casely Omon-Irabor by the police for allegedly offering N700,000 bribe to a police officer, Inspector Samuel Imana,  to induce him to release a kidnap suspect, Vincent Akpokona.

A statement  by the chair and publicity secretary, Messrs. Ben Oji and S.G Ediagbonuwie, the association said, “Any member of the branch, who provides legal representation in this case, would be a clear breach of the subsisting resolution of the branch.”

However, sources close to Omon-Irabor maintained that the whole thing was an orchestrated frame-up.

The association however, declared, “Our stand does not in any way infer an acceptance of the veracity. We would expect the police, having charged the matter to court, to prove the said allegations in accordance with the provisions of the law. We shall follow the proceedings with keen interest.”