Lawyers to boycott court over alleged harassment, intimidation by judge

The Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Benin branch, has ordered a boycott of High Court 6, Benin, over alleged harassment and intimidation of its members by the presiding judge.

The order was contained in a statement signed by the association’s chairman and secretary, Pius Oiwoh and Andrew Lawani respectively, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Benin.

The statement said the decision to boycott the court was a unanimous one, with regard to the “incessant and unabating harassment, intimidation, outright insults and deliberate embarrassment to counsels” appearing before the judge.

It said that the decision was reached at this month’s meeting of the Lion Bar in Benin which was attended by Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), benchers, elders, leaders and members of the bar.

The statement alleged that the judge harassed, insulted and intimidated SANS and other very senior members of the bar in the presence of their clients and would-be clients.

“Any member who flouts this directive under any guise shall be liable to be blacklisted at the branch and made to face its disciplinary committee.

“Consequently, all members of the association are directed to embark on a total boycott of the court and are not permitted to carry out any business in the said court till a subsequent review of this directive by the general meeting,” the statement added.