The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, has cautioned members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) against writing unnecessary and frivolous petitions against anti-corruption agencies and judges during litigation.
Dr. Aliyu issued the caution on Monday when he hosted the Chairman and members of the National Litigation Committee (NLT) of the NBA at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
According to Dr. Aliyu, “Writing unnecessary petitions against officers of the Commission and judges without concrete justification is improper, 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 during investigations and litigation.”
The chairman pointed out that writing frivolous petitions against judges and officers involved in the fight against corruption does not help matters, noting that it does not encourage those working hard to rid Nigeria of corruption.
He assured his guests, “In ICPC, there is no harassment of lawyers. We ensure that the rights of lawyers are protected, as well as the rights of our officers in the course of their duties.”
He, however, advised the NBA not to hesitate to draw the Commission’s attention to any concerns, as ICPC is committed to looking into such issues objectively and addressing them accordingly.
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“We at ICPC try our best to protect the rights of suspects and their lawyers. Since I became Chairman, I have not received any complaints about lawyers being harassed by the officers of the Commission,” he stated.
He added that ICPC encourages mutual professional respect and understanding in line with the law and called on lawyers to extend the same courtesy to officers whenever they engage with the Commission.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Committee, Barr. Vincent Otaokpokpu, informed the Honourable Chairman that they were at the Commission’s headquarters to brief him on the responsibilities of the Committee as outlined in their Terms of Reference issued by the NBA.
He told his host that the Committee was the first to be inaugurated by the current leadership of the NBA to protect the rights of lawyers while doing their jobs. He added that ICPC, in its fight against corruption, would often need to interact with lawyers, which is why they considered the Commission a critical partner in ensuring that the rights of their members are protected.
Mr. Otaokpokpu stated, “The committee was inaugurated and charged with advocating for the rights of lawyers, assisting in promoting the interests of lawyers, and defending lawyers who are subjected to humiliation, harassment, or other forms of mistreatment by law enforcement agents.”
He told the Honourable Chairman that the Committee seeks to collaborate with the Commission to join forces against corruption while protecting the interests and rights of their members.
He, however, noted that the Committee was aware of the challenges ICPC might face in dealing with the lawyers of corruption suspects, as some may become overzealous in defending their clients.
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 they are ready to collaborate with ICPC even in litigation matters.
The ICPC Chairman took the opportunity to encourage all lawyers to take anti-money laundering issues seriously, as outlined in the NBA’s professional guidelines, in a statement signed by Demola Bakare, Director of Public Enlightenment and Education/Spokesperson for the Commission.
