The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), yesterday, said it would set up an anti-corruption committee in all its 130 branches in the country to address corruption related issues.
Chairman, NBA National Anti-Corruption Committee, Prof. Babafemi Badejo, in a statement, said the NBA National Executive Committee (NEC), at its meeting in llorin recently, passed the motion for all NBA branches to mandatorily set up an anti-corruption committee.
“Anti-corruption committees shall be established in all NBA branches to address corruption-related issues within their jurisdictions.
“They shall work closely with local stakeholders, including law enforcement agencies, the judiciary and community organisations to reduce corruption at their respective levels.
“They shall collaborate with the NBA National Anti-Corruption Committee towards a robust NBA coordinated abhorrence of corruption.
“The national-level body shall coordinate anti-corruption efforts across all branches,” he said.
The chairman added that the NBA, under the leadership of Mr Afam Osigwe, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, had already put in place the NBA national anti-corruption committee earlier this year.
Badejo also said the branch-level committees would design their respective activities to boost anti-corruption efforts in Nigeria.
“With the freedom of each branch and national coordination mechanism in articulating what can be done to curb corruption, the NBA will be delivering a clear message that corruption is not a normal way of life.
“The NBA is boldly engaging in its expected role as the bastion of accountability and the rule of law.
“Proactive NBA on anti-corruption is not just a professional necessity, but a national imperative.
“NBA is promoting the rule of law through the promotion of anti-corruption and the promotion of the rule of law is the guiding principle of the NBA,” he said.