The Nigerian Bar Association, Dutse, Jigawa Branch, has threatened not to participate in the Virtual Annual General Conference of the NBA following the withdrawal of invitation earlier sent to Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el- Rufai.
This was made known in a statement on Friday by Chairman of NBA Dutse, Garba Abubakar.
The group described as “frivolous” the allegations levelled against Governor el-Rufai, accusing the NBA of not giving him the opportunity to defend himself.
“A section of the country cannot therefore take us for a ride as we all have a fair understanding of the law.
“On the strength of this therefore, we call on the national body under President Paul Usoro (SAN) to reverse the decision with immediate effect else the Nigerian Bar Association Dutse branch will boycott the Virtual Annual General Conference taking place in a few days to come.”
The NBA had withdrawn its invitation to the governor to speak at its annual conference following a petition from lawyers who accused the governor of human rights violation and also his inability to stop kiIIings in Southern Kaduna.
The lawyers also referenced many controversial utterances of the governor, including a threat during the run- up to the general elections in 2019 that any foreigner that interfered in the poll would leave Nigeria in body bags.
The petition garnered over 3,150 signatures on Change.org.
In response to the outcry, the Nigerian Bar Association on Thursday withdrew its invitation to el-Rufai to speak at the association’s annual general conference.
The Kaduna governor described the move as bias in his reaction.