A group of Civil society organizations (CSOs) have commended the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Afam Osigwe (SAN), for his strong support of the rule of law. This commendation came following his recent presence at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Osigwe attended court proceedings on January 29, 2025, during the arraignment of human rights activist and pro-democracy campaigner, Mr. Omoyele Sowore, who is facing cybercrime charges.
The groups recognized the act not only as a public show of support for the rule of law but also to address the widespread concerns about the erosion of judicial independence and a disregard for due process.
The CSOs, in a joint statement, declared that Osigwe’s decision to attend the court hearing was both symbolic and courageous. “This act underscores the critical role that legal professionals, particularly the NBA, play in safeguarding democratic values and ensuring justice is upheld in society,” the organizations stated.
They also emphasized the importance of Osigwe’s presence in court, sending a clear message about the necessity of transparency, fairness, and accountability within Nigeria’s judicial system. “It demonstrated that the legal profession remains vigilant and committed to defending the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution of Nigeria,” the group added.
The CSOs noted that while the principle that “no one is above the law” must remain central, there are growing fears about the misuse of the judicial process, especially in politically sensitive cases.
They took the opportunity to call for more institutional support from the NBA in promoting judicial integrity. “We urge the NBA to institutionalize court observation by establishing dedicated legal monitoring teams to observe such trials,” they recommended.
The groups also emphasized the importance of the NBA advocating for judicial reforms, protecting human rights defenders, and challenging the alleged abuse of the Cybercrime Act against journalists and activists.
They said, “In light of this commendable gesture, we urge the Nigerian Bar Association to institutionalize court observation by establishing dedicated legal monitoring teams to undertake such trial observations. We also call on the NBA to play a proactive role in advocating for judicial reforms, ensuring the protection of human rights defenders, and challenging the weaponization of the Cybercrime Act against activists and journalists.
“This would serve as a further practical demonstration of the legal profession’s commitment to protecting human rights and democratic principles, especially given that one of the NBA’s institutional core objectives is “to promote and protect the principles of the Rule of Law and respect for Human Rights”.
Additionally, the CSOs proposed that the NBA engage more with stakeholders, including civil society organizations, to create a framework for identifying cases that require observation and continuous advocacy for judicial fairness.
“The collective responsibility of legal practitioners, civil society, and citizens is crucial for the preservation of democracy and the rule of law. We stand ready to support the NBA in any way necessary to ensure the success of this initiative,” they added.
The organizations reiterated their commendation of Mr. Osigwe’s leadership. “We commend the NBA President for setting a commendable precedent, and we urge all stakeholders to remain vigilant in defending justice and democracy in Nigeria,” they concluded.
The statement was signed by several prominent CSOs, including Media Rights Agenda (MRA), Hope Behind Bars Africa, Restorative Justice for Africa Initiative, Paradigm Initiativ (PIN), Yiaga Africa, NULAI Nigeria, Human Rights Journalists Network Nigeria (HRJN), and BO Foundation for Inclusive Media (BOFIM).
Others are the International Press Centre (IPC), Global Rights, Nigeria Network of NGOs, Sesor Empowerment Foundation, Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC), Dataphyte Foundation, Digicivic Initiative, and TechHerNG.