…Threatens Boycott Move to Maiduguri Over Boko Haram Resurgence
From Abdulrazaq Mungadi, Gombe
The Gombe State branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has kick against the closure of the Gombe Division of the Court of Appeal and the subsequent transfer of all appealed cases to the newly established Maiduguri Division in Borno state.
In a statement issued after an emergency virtual congress held on May 13, 2025, the association expressed concern over the development, describing it as unjust and a threat to justice delivery. The meeting, presided over by the branch Chairman, Barr. Benjamin Sati, noted that the move would not only inconvenience legal practitioners and litigants but also expose them to heightened security risks along Gombe-Maiduguri road.
The association cited the resurgence of Boko Haram activities in Borno state as a major reason why its members may boycott court sittings in Maiduguri. “All members shall boycott sittings of the Court in Maiduguri, and each lawyer/law firm served with any hearing notice shall write a letter with N1000 remita generated for the letter citing insecurity as ground for not attending the sitting in Maiduguri,” the statement read.
As part of its resolutions, the Gombe NBA announced plans to seek an audience with the state governor, Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya, to discuss the implications of the closure and to solicit his intervention and discuss on further move about the Gombe Division.