The former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Chairman, Warri Branch (2014 – 2016.), John Aikpokpo-Martins, Esq has appealed to the president of NBA, Paul Usoro SAN, to make palliatives available to the lawyers during this lockdown period.

He disclosed this in a statement made available to TheNigeriaLawyer (TNL) personally signed by him.

Mr. Martins said: “It is now common knowledge that President Buhari on Monday,13th April, 2020 in a national broadcast extended the lockdown period in Abuja, Lagos and Ogun States for a further 2 weeks.

“In all, most States in Nigeria are presently on total or partial lockdown, and have been so for about 2 weeks running. This has without doubt occasioned severe emotional, psychological and financial stress and strain on all of us over the past few weeks. I must therefore salute the perseverance of our members thus far, though it is obvious that we are now almost bursting at the seams, and the extension of the lockdown has now terribly complicated matters.”

He said he is not oblivious of the consequences of the lock down order. To him, it has even complicated issues.

“We cannot be oblivious of these challenges, and I am seriously apprehensive of the consequences that these extended periods of lockdown may have on the psyche of members, and will be unfair to further irritate or seek to irritate our sensibilities. Personally I am at tetterhooks and extremely stressed in many fronts, and I assumed that most members may be feeling just like me, if not worse. In this light of this realization therefore, I am of the considered belief that most members may not be in receptive frames of mind to receive and/or to be constantly inundated with repetitive and unsolicited posters suggestive of my aspiration in the coming NBA election, and may even consider same to be insensitive in the light of the prevailing circumstances. The need to survive this unprecedented lockdown has become paramount and must relegate every other consideration to the background for at least this lockdown period.”

In view of the lock down order, he has suspended his activities relating to the NBA elections.

“In the light of this therefore, and after a solemn introspection, I have thought it fit to suspend, and I hereby suspend all manners of sensitization including the posting of posters or posts relating and/or pertaining to my aspiration in the coming election until the expiration of the lockdown period.”

He also appealed to the NBA President, Paul Usoro, SAN for palliatives for lawyers during the lock down period.

“May I also use this opportunity to make a passionate appeal to the NBA President, Mr. Paul Usoro and our national officers (in the light of the extension of the lockdown by the President, which the Governors may inevitably follow,) to kindly consider the possibility of the NBA giving palliatives to young lawyers as soon as practicable, particularly to the young lawyers in those branches that are in States that have been on lockdown for the past 2 weeks. It is disheartening seeing lawyers soliciting for aids or palliatives on social media; it seems undignifying in my humble view. Lawyers ought not to be seen soliciting for aids in the social media. An intervention from the NBA will certainly reduce such solicitations.”

Lastly, he advocated that lawyers should “be included in the list of persons discharging essential services at this time, seeing that most States have made covid 19 laws, set up mobile courts, and are prosecuting members of the public pursuant to the said laws. The defendants in those cases are being prosecuted without being afforded their constitutional right to brief and be represented by counsel. This anomaly is without doubt runs contrary to the tenants of the due process of law. This has to be addressed in my humble opinion, and as soon as possible.”