The Rivers State Government has debunked claims by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) that the N300 million it received from the state was an unconditional donation, insisting the money was specifically tied to the hosting of the 2025 Annual General Conference (AGC).
In a strongly worded statement issued by Hector Igbikiowubo, media aide to the state government under Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), the government rejected the NBA’s claim that the funds were merely a “gift,” stressing that records clearly show it was tied to the hosting rights of the AGC.
The controversy has sparked intense criticism from prominent legal figures. Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, expressed shock that the NBA would accept funds from a government, saying it undermines the independence of the legal profession. He called on the NBA to immediately refund the money.
Similarly, President of the African Public Interest Lawyers Union, Andrew Emwanta, urged the NBA to return the N300 million to protect its integrity and avoid sending the wrong signal about the relationship between lawyers and the government.
The Rivers government said it would deploy all available legal means to retrieve the funds if the NBA fails to voluntarily refund the amount, emphasizing that public funds must not be misrepresented as charity to any body, including the NBA.
