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From George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
The Nigerian Bar Association, (NBA) Owerri chapter, has slammed Imo state government following the arrest and detention of four senior staff of the National Industrial Court, Chima Emeka Ndukwe, Akoma Jeremiah, Ikedi Amadi, and Nze Moses who were on an official duty on Friday at the premises of Zenith Bank Plc on Bank/Okigwe road branch.
The Bar also called for the immediate and unconditional release of the staff of the court who were taken to undisclosed destination.
But in its reaction, the state government condemned the NBA what it called “hastily taking sides without diligent investigation” in the matter between it and a former Deputy Governor of the state, Prince Eze Madumere.
The National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Owerri Judicial Division had on Thursday, ordered the sealing of the three branches of Zenith Bank Plc, Owerri over the bank’s refusal with the state government to obey the N1.9billion garnishee entered in favour of the former Deputy Governor of the state, Prince Eze Madumere.
In a statement issued on Saturday by Mr.Chinedu Agu, Secretary of NBA, Owerri branch, condemned the arrest and detention of staff of the court who were arrested in the afternoon of Friday June 3, 2022, while on official duty.
He alleged that the victims were arrested by policemen and savage thugs led by a personal assistant to the Imo State governor to unseal Zenith Bank Plc, having obtained an order from Owerri High Court (on the same day.
The Bar further gathered that upon an order of the National Industrial Court, Owerri, on Thursday, June, 2, 2022, Zenith Bank Plc was sealed for refusal to obey the judgment of the National Industrial Court, Owerri, where-in the court ordered the bank to pay the judgment creditor, Prince Eze Madumere, the sum of ₦1.9 billion, being money owed him by Imo State government.
The statement added: “Rather than challenge same judgment in the Court of Appeal, the Imo State Government, in a desperate hurry, obtained a Court Order from a High Court sitting in Owerri restraining Zenith Bank Plc from obeying the judgment of the National Industrial Court, Owerri. In a manner most brutish and saddening reminiscent of the Stone Age, the said aide of the governor armed with the Order of the High Court, led a legion of heavily armed policemen and fierce-looking thugs to unseal the bank, and in the process brutalised and arrested the said court officials, who while on official duty, stopped by the bank to inquire the reason for the heavy presence of security man and thugs.
The NBA called on the state government to cause the immediate and unconditional release of the detained staff of the court and their official vehicle before 12:00hrs of Saturday June 4, 2022.
But the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba in a statement described as unfortunate and unprofessional the attack on the government by NBA without recourse to the facts of the matter.
The commissioner who accused the state chairman of NBA, Barr. J .I Ogamba of being an interested party since he is the lawyer to Zenith Bank, said he had been heavily compromised.
According to him, the unilateral action of the NBA chairman in issuing a statement, through his secretary condemning the arrest of some staff of the industrial court, was a clear testimony of abuse of office.
He said the fact that the chairman had a personal interest in the matter obfuscated his impartial consideration of the relevant issues that led to the arrest and release of the said staff and the injunction obtained by the government against some banks on Friday, June 3.
“First of all, we are yet to hear of where NBA met as a body and resolved to issue such a weighty statement that borders on security and the powers of the police to maintain law and order. Second, the injunction obtained by government has nothing to do with the Madumere case. So the question of courts of coordinate powers does not arise,” Emelumba submitted.
He said if NBA had intervened as an impartial arbiter, it would have easily found out that the police effected the arrest of the staff of the Industrial Court when it was discovered that neither the Imo State Police Command nor Zone 9 was aware of those policemen who sealed Zenith Bank on Wednesday, June 1.
“But because the chairman has vested interest he railroaded a few members of NBA to attack an innocent government which crime was to stop anarchy being enthroned in the state,” he said.
The commissioner advised members of the NBA in the state to be circumspect so as to distinguish between a personal war of vendetta and representing public interest.
