Proceedings at the ongoing annual conference of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, held in Enugu on Monday were interrupted by protesters, who besieged the venue of the event, demanding the immediate release of Bright Ngene, a Labour Party lawmaker in the Enugu State House of Assembly.
The News Chronicle reports that the lawmaker, who represents Enugu South Urban Constituency, is currently serving a seven-year prison sentence.
The sentence was pronounced by a magistrate’s court in connection with a community dispute.
The protesters, who trouped out in their numbers, bore placards with inscriptions such as ‘Release Bar. Bright Ngene Now, a Political Prisoner of Conscience’, ‘NBA, Please Save Our Democracy’, among others.
Insisting that the Magistrate Court’s sentence was politically motivated, the protesters, who were mostly Ngene’s supporters accused the state judiciary of stalling his appeal.
They also alleged that at least two judges had recused themselves while the case remained unassigned at the state High Court.
Benedict Kachukwu, who led the protesters, while addressing journalists, lamented the incarceration of Ngene since July 2024 and the numerous incidents that reek of deliberate effort to stall his appeal.
He maintained that due process was not followed in Ngene’s trial, appealing to the NBA and senior lawyers at the conference to intervene and ensure that justice is done.
The protesters were, however, prevented by security operatives from entering the International Conference Centre, venue of the NBA conference.
Recall that on Sunday, dignitaries from within and outside Nigeria, including the founder and leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters in South Africa, Julius Malema, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Governor Peter Mbah, among others had attended the opening ceremony of the conference.
Over 20,000 lawyers from within and outside the country are also attending the event, with the theme, ‘Stand Out, Stand Tall.’
