The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, has urged members of the Nigerian Bars Association (NBA) writing frivolous petitions against anti-corruption agencies and judges to desist.
According to a statement published on the agencies’ website, Aliyu made the appeal when he played host to the Chairman and members of the National Litigation Committee (NLT) of the NBA, at the Commission’s Headquarters in Abuja.
He frowned on unnecessary petitions against the agencies’ officers and judges without concrete justifications and termed them improper.
“Writing unnecessary petitions against officers of the Commission and Judges without concrete justifications is not proper, as we are all colleagues and partners in the fight against corruption.”
He added that appropriate professional measures should be explored in resolving issues arising between lawyers and anti-corruption officers in the course of investigations and litigations.
The ICPC boss stressed that writing frivolous petitions against Judges and officers involved in the fight against corruption does not help matters, nor encourage those who are working so hard to rid Nigeria of Corruption.
He further assured his guests of full protection of their rights and also called on the NBA for their maximum co-operation.
“In ICPC, there is no harassment of lawyers. We ensure that the rights of lawyers are protected, so also the rights of our officers in the cause of their duties”.
“The NBA, I implore you not to hesitate to draw the attention of the Commission whenever there are concerns, as ICPC is committed to looking into such issues objectively and addressing them accordingly.
“We at ICPC, we try our best to see that we protect the rights of suspects and their lawyers. Since I came in here as the Chairman, I have not received any complaint of lawyers being harassed by the officers of the Commission,” he asserted.
Aliyu further stated that ICPC encourages mutual, professional respect and understanding in line with the law and called on the lawyers to extend the same courtesy to the officers whenever they have anything to do with the Commission.
Earlier at the meeting, the Chairman of the Committee, Barr. Vincent Otaokpokpu, informed the ICPC boss that they were at the Commission’s Headquarters to brief him on the responsibilities of the Committee as contained in their Terms of Reference issued by the NBA.
Otaokpokpu further informed Aliyu that the Committee was the first to be inaugurated by the current leadership of the NBA to protect the rights of the lawyers while doing their jobs, adding that ICPC in its fight against corruption will have causes to interface with lawyers hence, they considered the Commission a critical partner in ensuring that the rights of their members are protected.
“The committee was inaugurated and charged with the responsibilities of advocating for the rights of lawyers, assist in the promotion of interest of lawyers, assist in the defense of lawyers who are subjected to one form of humiliation, harassment or the other by law enforcement agents,” Mr. Otaokpokpu stated.
The Committee pledged to assist in educating lawyers on how they can better protect the integrity of the Bar and promote the Rule of Law, revealing that the Committee was ready to collaborate with the ICPC even in litigation matters.
ICPC Chairman Cautions Lawyers Against Frivolous Petitions is first published on The Whistler Newspaper