Odinkalu, in a statement, said: “I believe that the situation in the legal profession in the North-East and the places affected by the counter-insurgency deployments, has to concern the legal profession and all public institutions working in the rule of law and administration of justice.
“The allegations of violations of the independence and service delivery capabilities of the Bar are serious. It should be properly investigated, while there should be dialogue between the Bar and security agencies.
“We have to work together to find the right balance between safety and security and the rule of law. Necessity can often be an excuse for abuse. We have to prevent and avoid that.”
Odinkalu, in a petition to the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, entitled Protection of Lawyers and the Legal Profession in States of North Eastern Nigeria, said: “The central allegation disclosed by the complaints and notifications that have been brought to my attention is that in seeking to manage the ongoing escalation of violence and insurgency in several locations in North-Eastern Nigeria, in Maiduguri, Borno State and in Potiskum and Damaturu, Yobe State, the Joint Task Force, JTF, has imposed or created serious constraints that are now clearly incompatible with the independence of lawyers and of the legal profession.
“It disables lawyers in these locations from the effective discharge of their responsibilities to represent criminal sus-pects with the diligence and professionalism.” required by the ethics and values of the profession.
“In addition to JTF, similar allegations have also been made against the “Crack Squad” of the Nigeria Police Force in Maiduguri. The notification in one case came from a colleague, who alleged that he had just survived an armed attack in which his car was shot at. He was allegedly returning from trying to discharge his duties to a detainee held by the JTF.”
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