NBA Crisis: General Secretary Suspended As Allegations of Assault on Staff Emerge

The crisis engulfing the Nigerian Bar Association seems to have come to a head this morning as the General Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association, Joyce Oduah has been suspended from office.

The Lawyer has been informed that the suspension took place after the leadership of the Association convened an emergency meeting this morning where all National Officers including the General Secretary and the President were present.

Following a petition from the National Officers of the NBA exclusively obtained by The Lawyer alleging assault on a secretariat staff, the General Secretary was suspended with immediate effect, and the Assistant General Secretary empowered to hold rein until the NBA-AGM.

According to The Lawyer’s sources, the NBA leadership convened an emergency meeting of National officers yesterday based on the petition and it was decided that the meeting be adjourned to this morning as they reconvened by 8am.

The Lawyer is reliably informed that the NBA President recused himself from the meeting while the General Secretary made her case. She subsequently exited the virtual meeting.

It was then after that the General Secretary was referred to a disciplinary committee and suspended. The reason given by the NBA-Exco was that it would be inappropriate for the General Secretary to continue in her position as preparations for the NBA AGM and NEC Meetings are in top gear, as well as transition meetings.

The petition and NBA-Exco resolution are below:

NBA – National Officers Internal Memo

NBA – Resolution of Meeting of National Executive Committee Final (1)