NBA Lagos Branch Embarks on a Protest Against the Nigerian Navy’s Disregard of Court Judgment
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Lagos Branch, on Friday, 12th September 2025, staged a peaceful protest against the Nigerian Navy’s unlawful signal, declaring its member, Vice Admiral Dada Olaniyi Labinjo (Rtd.), as a “deserter,” in defiance of a valid judgment of the National Industrial Court.
Led by the Branch Chairman, Mrs. Uchenna Ogunedo Akingbade, members of the Executive Committee and several lawyers converged at Marine Bridge, Apapa, where they were met with a heavy security presence of armed Police, Military personnel, DSS operatives, and Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps officers.
Despite initial hostility, the lawyers stood their ground and by 11:00 a.m., marched to NNS Beecroft, Apapa, where they were received by Naval officers and later addressed by Commodore Paul Ponfa Nimmyel.
Mrs. Akingbade presented the purpose of the protest:
To condemn the Navy’s disregard of a subsisting Court judgment.
To deliver a protest letter to the Chief of Naval Staff through the Flag Officer Commanding.
However, Commodore Nimmyel refused to accept the letter on behalf of the Navy, insisting it should be delivered directly to the Chief of Naval Staff in Abuja, while suggesting dialogue before protest. In response, Mrs. Akingbade firmly countered that:
He who comes to equity must come with clean hands. You cannot call for dialogue while disobeying a Court order and persisting in unlawful actions against our member.
Present at the protest were Branch officers, including Mr. James Sonde (Vice Chairman and Chairman, Human Rights Committee), Mr. Kelechukwu Uzoka (Secretary), Mrs. Oge Mokelu (Treasurer), Mr. Oliver Omoredia (Publicity Secretary), branch members such as Mrs. Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, Mrs. Chinelo Okonkwo, Mr. Shola Lamid, Mr. Victory Ilugo and prominent branch members turned out for the protest.
The NBA Lagos Branch reaffirmed its commitment to defending the Rule of Law, stressing that disobedience of Court orders by institutions poses a grave danger to Nigeria’s democracy.