 annual conference in Enugu was on Monday disrupted as supporters of Labour Party){kind=link}
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) annual conference in Enugu was on Monday disrupted as supporters of Labour Party lawmaker, Bright Ngene, staged a protest demanding his release.
Ngene, who represents Enugu South Urban Constituency in the state House of Assembly, is serving a seven-year jail term handed down by a magistrate’s court over a community-related dispute.
Carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Release Bar. Bright Ngene Now, a Political Prisoner of Conscience” and “NBA, Please Save Our Democracy,” the protesters accused the state judiciary of deliberately stalling Ngene’s appeal.
They alleged that at least two judges had withdrawn from the case, which remains unassigned at the Enugu High Court.
Speaking with journalists, protest leader, Benedict Kachukwu, said Ngene’s incarceration since July 2024 was unjust.
“Due process was not followed in his trial. We appeal to the NBA and senior lawyers at this conference to intervene and ensure justice is done,” he said.
Security operatives, however, prevented the demonstrators from entering the International Conference Centre, venue of the NBA conference.