A civil society group, Eye on Kano Initiative, has issued a 72-hour ultimatum to the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to investigate what it termed “unprofessional and inflammatory” campaign remarks by the Association’s president, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN.
In a statement released on Friday, the group, through its Secretary General Tijjani Sarki, accused Osigwe of making false allegations concerning the recent suspension of live political programmes by radio and television stations in Kano State.
Osigwe had earlier stated that the Kano State Government lacked the legal authority to regulate broadcast content, which he said was solely the National Broadcasting Commission’s (NBC) responsibility.
However, the Eye on Kano Initiative slammed the NBA president’s comments as premature, reckless, and lacking factual basis.
“For the NBA President to issue such a sweeping condemnation without verified facts, formal inquiry, or direct engagement with the Kano State Government is shamefully unprofessional,” the statement read.
The group questioned whether the NBA consulted with its Kano branch or engaged with media stakeholders in the state before going public.
“If no disciplinary action is taken within 72 hours, we may be forced to conclude that the NBA, under its current leadership, is complicit in attempts to destabilise Kano State,” Sarki warned.
The group threatened legal action for defamation and incitement, adding that such public statements risk inflaming tensions and eroding public trust.
They further accused Osigwe of selective activism, ignoring national emergencies while hastily reacting to state-level matters without adequate information.
“It is both ironic and unfortunate that the NBA, which should be a moral compass and a guardian of justice, has instead chosen the path of propaganda and half-truths,” the group stated.
They urged the NBA leadership to rein in its president and restore the Association’s credibility by upholding objectivity and restraint in public engagements.
