By Deborah Onyofufeke
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and security agencies in the country have joined forces with a view to either eradicate or minimize conflict on human dignity and bickering in the discharge of their respective functions.

The collaborating bodies, set up an NBA/ security/ Agencies Relations Committee (NBA-SARC) which is being headed by Mr. Joe Kyari Gadzama SAN

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The Hybrid Town Hall meeting was the first of its kind, held at the NBA House in Abuja on Tuesday, with the theme “Lawyers, Security Agents and the Rule of Law”

The hybrid town hall meeting was attended by representatives of the Nigerian Army, Police, Customs, Civil Defence, ICPC, Immigration, and EFCC.

The NBA President, Mr. Olumide Akpata, said the time has come, for legal practitioners and security operatives to learn how to discharge their respective functions within the ambit of the Rule of Law.

The Committee which was set up by the NBA President, Mr. Olumide Akpata, has already met with authorities of the EFCC, ICPC, NSCDS, and a meeting scheduled with the office of the Inspector General of Police, IGP, to convey the collaboration to the highest level.

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Akpata noted that the incessant bickerings arising in the discharge of functions by lawyers and security operatives are uncalled for while he added that permanent solutions must be put in place to ensure that they work without stepping on each other’s toes

Also speaking was the committee chairman, Joe Gadzama SAN, who said the town hall meeting was organized to bring lawyers and security agencies together as a starting point for having a cordial working relationship and in the next few days, the NBA committee will meet with police authorities to have consultations on how to make lawyers and police work unhindered.

In his lecture at the town hall meeting, a Deputy Commissioner of Police and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Simon Lough, who is the first serving police officer to become a SAN in Nigeria, noted that pride and arrogance were responsible for the bickerings among lawyers and police officers while he added that situations, where lawyers and security agents see themselves as enemies, must be eradicated.

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Meanwhile, Mela Nunghe, (SAN) also speaking at the town hall meeting, called for an end to agency rivalry in the interest of the generality of Nigerians.