Douglas Ogbankwa: Lawyers As Endangered Species
I read with shock the allegations by our colleague Douglas Ogbankwa about the assault and threat to shoot him by some officers of the State Security Service in Benin, Edo City. It is worrisome that law enforcement agents would not only prevent a lawyer from exercising a statutory power to be present while his/her client is interrogated but reportedly assault him and threaten to shoot him.
No lawyer should be made to face such humiliation and intimidation. It is unbecoming of law enforcement agents to put weapons bought by taxpayers to wrong use or to abuse their power by trampling on the rights of citizens. Offices of such agencies should not be places people with approach or enter with trepidation because of fear that illegalities may be deployed against them.
The story yet again brings to the fore the emerging reality that lawyers have indeed become endangered species in Nigeria. Many law enforcement agents can scarcely conceal their hostility to lawyers. They are very intolerant of lawyers performing their duties. They do not want the lawyers to be present while they do their work and it does not matter that these lawyers do not interfere with the investigations. Lawyers must be respected and allowed to represent their clients.
No law enforcement agent or agency should be allowed to brazenly violate the fundamental rights of Nigerians and indeed lawyers. Something must be done about this. This ugly trend MUST stop. Lawyers must be allowed to practice with dignity and respect.
I therefore lend my voice in urging the Director General of the State Security Service and the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation to cause a detailed investigation to be carried out in respect of the complaint of by Douglas Ogbankwa . Any person found to have engaged in the assault and threat to Mr Ogbankwa should be brought to book.
Happy Eid el Maulud.
Mazi Afam Osigwe SAN
