The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has said it has resolved to investigate the allegations of sexual assault against the suspended Dean of Faculty of Law, University of Calabar, Prof. Cyril Ndifon.
In a statement, the National Publicity Secretary of NBA, Akorede, Habeeb Lawal, said the decision to investigate Ndifon was reached at the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the association.
Lawal, in the statement which was made available to our correspondent in Asaba, said the meeting was presided over by the NBA President, Mr. Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau (SAN), and had in attendance all NBA national officers.
According to him, an ad-hoc committee was empanelled to investigate the allegations against the university don.
He listed members of the committee as First Vice President of NBA, Mrs. Linda Rose Bala; Assistant General Secretary of NBA, Mr. Daniel Kip; Chairperson of NBA Women’s Forum and the Chairman of NBA Calabar branch.
Besides, Lawal said the NBA resolved to investigate the alleged attempt to bribe an election petition tribunal chairman in Kano State.
“You may also be aware of the recent media report of the attempted bribe of Justice Flora Azinge of the National Assembly and State House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Kano.
“The NBA has, by a letter dated 16th August, 2023, formally requested his lordship to avail the NBA of further details in this regard to enable investigation into this allegation.
“In a similar vein, the national officers also deliberated at their earlier monthly meeting on the unbecoming conduct of some members of the legal profession.
“Following the resolutions of the national officers, the NBA has filed petitions at the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) against Mr. Hudu Yunusa-Ari, the suspended Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Ifunanya Excel Grant, a young lawyer of Aba branch wildly known as ‘the baddest lawyer’ on social media.
“Mr. Yunusa-Ari was petitioned over his role in illegally declaring the result of the supplementary 2023 gubernatorial election in Adamawa State while votes were still being counted.
“The complaints against Miss Ifunanya centred on her social media notoriety of posting pictures and videos of herself unclad and smoking marijuana.”
