I
lorin branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has alleged brutality of its members by men of the Kwara state police command.
The association’s chairman, Barrister Mobolaji Ojibara, said a member of the Bar, Barrister Taofiq Sanusi, was stripped last Friday “by some overzealous officers of the Nigerian Police, beaten to a state of stupor and almost had his eye blinded.”
He stated this at a special court session in honour of Justice Joseph Ibiwoye of the state High Court who died in April, this year.
He said: “Permit me, my lord, to also use this opportunity to reiterate the commitment of the leadership of Ilorin bar under our watch to uphold and protect the fundamental Human right and dignity of all its members.
“It is in this regard that the Nigerian Bar Association, Ilorin branch, condemns in the strongest possible terms the acts of intimidation and persecution of the members of the bar in the cause of their professional pursuit by the police and calls on all members of the legal profession, including the judiciary, to join in resisting this trend.”
He said the brutalised officer was thrown into the cell with hardened criminal for no just cause other than for “being daring to visit the police station to procure the bail of his clients.”
“Upon hearing about the inhumane treatment and wrongful detention of this gentleman, his colleague, Ahmed Alawaye, who also visited the police station to request for the release of the detained lawyer was also inflicted with bodily harm and thrown out of the police station.
“It thus becomes exigent, more than ever, to condemn this frequent mindless act of the police intimidating and harassing counsel involved in their professional pursuit.”