Protesters Disrupt NBA Conference In Enugu Over Jailed Lawmaker-Elect.
Hundreds of demonstrators descended on the International Conference Centre in Enugu on Monday, disrupting the Nigerian Bar Association’s (NBA) annual general conference to demand the release of Bright Ngene, a Labour Party lawmaker-elect for Enugu South Urban Constituency. Ngene, who won a rerun election on 16 August 2025 while incarcerated, remains in prison following a controversial seven-year sentence handed down by an Enugu South Magistrate’s Court on 28 July 2024.
The protesters, believed to be Ngene’s supporters and constituents, carried placards with messages such as “NBA, Please Save Our Democracy,” “Free the People’s Choice,” and “Say No to Miscarriage of Justice.” They accused the Enugu State judiciary of succumbing to political pressure, alleging that unnamed state government officials were behind Ngene’s prolonged detention. The group’s spokesperson, Benedict Kachukwu, described the conviction as a “grave injustice” and a “subversion of democracy,” claiming that judicial processes were not followed during Ngene’s trial.
Ngene, a lawyer by profession, was sentenced over a communal dispute involving the alleged theft of N15 million in community development funds from Akwuke in Enugu South. Initially arraigned in 2017, the case was referred to Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) but was revisited in 2024, with critics arguing the conviction was politically motivated to thwart Ngene’s electoral success. Despite his imprisonment, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Ngene the winner of the rerun election, though he was unable to collect his certificate of return on 22 August due to his detention.
Kachukwu told reporters that efforts to have Ngene’s case heard at the High Court have been stalled, with judges recusing themselves and the chief judge yet to assign the case. “This is the highest point of injustice meted out to anybody,” he said, urging the NBA and senior lawyers to intervene. The protesters stressed they were not opposed to judicial processes but sought a fair hearing, expressing frustration that Ngene’s mandate to represent his constituency was being undermined.
The peaceful demonstration, which drew attention from conference delegates and passersby, highlighted broader concerns about judicial independence in Enugu State. The protesters appealed for the NBA to use its influence to ensure due process, with some placards reading, “Injustice to One Lawyer is Injustice to All Lawyers.” Despite letters sent to NBA organs and awareness among senior lawyers like Femi Falana and Monday Ubani, the association has yet to issue an official response to the protest.
The NBA conference, relocated to Enugu from Port Harcourt due to concerns over unconstitutional governance in Rivers State, continues to draw significant attention. The protest underscores growing tensions over perceived political interference in judicial processes, with Ngene’s case becoming a focal point for calls to uphold democratic principles and the rule of law in Nigeria.
