The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has announced plans to establish anti-corruption committees in each of its 130 branches to tackle corruption-related issues more effectively.
This was disclosed on Monday by the Chairman of the NBA National Anti-Corruption Committee, Prof. Babafemi Badejo, in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
According to Badejo, the decision was taken at the recent National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the NBA, held in Ilorin, where a motion was passed mandating the establishment of anti-corruption committees across all branches of the association.
“An anti-corruption committee shall be established in all NBA branches to address corruption-related issues within their jurisdictions,” Badejo said.
He explained that the branch committees would collaborate closely with local actors and the national body to strengthen anti-corruption measures.
“They shall work closely with local stakeholders, including law enforcement agencies, the judiciary, and community organisations, to reduce corruption at their respective levels.
“They shall collaborate with the NBA National Anti-Corruption Committee towards a robust NBA-coordinated abhorrence of corruption.
“The national-level body shall coordinate anti-corruption efforts across all branches,” he stated.
Badejo noted that the NBA, under the leadership of Mr. Afam Osigwe, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), had already inaugurated the National Anti-Corruption Committee earlier this year as a step towards institutionalising accountability within the legal profession.
He further explained that each branch-level committee would be empowered to design and implement activities that reflect the local context and support broader national anti-corruption goals.
“With the freedom of each branch and national coordination mechanism in articulating what can be done to curb corruption, the NBA will be delivering a clear message that corruption is not a normal way of life.
“The NBA is boldly engaging in its expected role as the bastion of accountability and the rule of law.
“Proactive NBA on anti-corruption is not just a professional necessity but a national imperative.
“NBA is promoting the rule of law through the promotion of anti-corruption, and the promotion of the rule of law is the guiding principle of the NBA,” Badejo concluded.
