The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has initiated steps to address a series of serious allegations involving legal professionals. An ad-hoc committee has been established by the NBA to investigate allegations of sexual assault against Prof. Cyril Ndifon, the suspended Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Calabar.
Furthermore, the NBA has filed petitions against two individuals. The first petition targets the suspended Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Adamawa State, Hudu Yunusa-Ari. He is alleged to have prematurely declared the result of a supplementary 2023 governorship election in Adamawa State while votes were still being counted.
The second petition concerns a young lawyer named Ifunanya Excel Grant, who is widely recognized on social media as ‘the baddest lawyer’. The complaints against Grant focus on her online behavior, including posting explicit images and videos of herself and engaging in the consumption of marijuana.
The decision to take action was made during the NBA’s recent monthly meeting, where the National Executive Committee discussed and decided upon these matters. The NBA emphasizes that no judgment of guilt has been made against any of the individuals involved, and the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) will conduct a fair trial before rendering a decision.
The President of the NBA, Yakubu Maikyau (SAN), has stressed the importance of maintaining professional conduct within the legal community. The NBA is committed to upholding the integrity of the legal profession by addressing misconduct and taking necessary actions against those found in violation of ethical standards.