A coalition of civil society organisations has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene and halt the planned arraignment of human rights lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, CON.
The group, operating under the banner of the Coalition of Civil Society Groups for Peace, Security, Good Governance, Equity and Justice, made the appeal in a statement issued to the media over the weekend and signed by its Coordinator, Comrade James Okoronkwo.
According to the coalition, the scheduled arraignment of Ozekhome, who they described as a “human rights icon” and “Senior Advocate of the Masses,” is unnecessary and could undermine Nigeria’s democratic image.
The group said the matter at the centre of the case is essentially a civil property dispute and does not warrant criminal prosecution.
“We respectfully call on the President, as the Father of the Nation, to intervene and halt the scheduled arraignment of Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, CON, slated for Monday, January 26, 2026,” the statement said.
The coalition warned that prosecuting Ozekhome, a senior lawyer with over four decades of legal practice, could demoralise the human rights community and erode public confidence in the justice system.
They also recalled Ozekhome’s role in Nigeria’s pro-democracy struggle, particularly his involvement in the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) during the military era, noting that he stood shoulder to shoulder with other activists, including President Tinubu, in the fight against military dictatorship.
“It would be a historical tragedy for a veteran of that struggle to face criminal prosecution under an administration led by a fellow veteran,” the group said.
The coalition further appealed to President Tinubu to direct the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, to review the case file and explore an administrative resolution rather than criminal proceedings.
They argued that subjecting the 68-year-old senior advocate to a criminal trial over what they termed “administrative technicalities” would amount to an avoidable stain on Nigeria’s judicial history.
“We humbly pray that the arraignment be halted in the interest of national peace and the honour of our democratic journey,” the statement added.
