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NBA constitutes committee to investigate allegations surrounding the receipt and disbursement of a N100 million gift from the Imo State Government to the association’s Owerri Branch.
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The intervention follows demands by 183 members of the branch for an Extraordinary General Meeting to seek answers over the controversial fund.
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NBA orders preservation and production of receipts, bank statements, expenditure schedules, approvals, payment vouchers and other records connected with the N100 million.
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Investigators are to attend the October 15 extraordinary meeting and submit findings and recommendations to the NBA President no later than October 30, 2026.
October 15, (THEWILL) – The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has launched an investigation into allegations of impropriety surrounding the receipt, management and disbursement of a N100 million gift from the Imo State Government to its Owerri Branch, amid growing questions from members over how the money was handled.
The intervention by the national leadership followed an escalating dispute within the Owerri Branch, where 183 members requisitioned an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) to demand explanations concerning the fund.
NBA President, Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, in a letter dated October 14, 2026, addressed to the Chairman of the NBA Owerri Branch, Mazi Udegbulem, said the controversy required a “clear account and a fair examination.”
She consequently constituted a three-member committee comprising NBA General Secretary, Afam Okeke; Third Vice-President, Iniobong Irene Pepple; and Treasurer, Esther Jimoh, to investigate the allegations.
The committee has been mandated to examine records relating to the N100 million, receive representations from persons concerned, and report its findings and recommendations to the NBA President on or before October 30.
The development raises the stakes in the controversy that has unsettled the Owerri Branch, particularly as the national body has now demanded the preservation and production of financial documentation relating to the government gift.
According to the NBA President, members who have raised questions about the money must be allowed to seek answers, but the process must be conducted in an orderly atmosphere.
“The concerns raised about the receipt and disbursement of the N100 million gift from the Imo State Government require a clear account and a fair examination.
“Members must have an opportunity to raise their questions and receive answers. That process must, however, proceed in an atmosphere conducive to orderly discussion,” Badejo-Okusanya said.
The NBA President said the investigative committee would attend the EGM scheduled for Thursday, October 15, at 2:00 p.m. as her representatives.
She directed the Owerri Branch leadership to facilitate the committee’s access to the venue and accord its members full cooperation.
Beyond observing proceedings, the committee has been authorised to ensure that a signed attendance register is taken and to issue directions considered necessary to guarantee an orderly meeting.
The national body also ordered that all financial records relating to the N100 million be made available at the meeting, with copies supplied to the investigative committee within 24 hours of receipt of the President’s letter.
The documents demanded include receipts, bank statements, expenditure schedules and explanations, approvals, payment vouchers and any other supporting documents connected with the fund.
“All records relating to the gift must be preserved,” Badejo-Okusanya directed.
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The committee will subsequently scrutinise the records and hear from persons whose actions or decisions are relevant to the controversy before reaching its conclusions.
However, the NBA President cautioned against treating the constitution of the committee as a determination of wrongdoing against any member or official of the Owerri Branch.
She stressed that the investigation was intended to establish the facts and that anyone whose conduct was questioned would be given an opportunity to respond.
“The constitution of this Committee does not amount to a finding against any person. Everyone whose conduct is called into question will be given a fair opportunity to respond,” ” the NBA President said.
She also demanded full cooperation from both the leadership of the Owerri Branch and the members who requisitioned the extraordinary meeting, stressing that the dispute must be handled in a manner capable of restoring confidence among lawyers in the branch.
“The questions raised deserve answers, and the persons concerned deserve a fair hearing. Our responsibility is to provide a process that delivers both and sustains the confidence of members in their Branch,” she said.
Background
The controversy centres on a N100 million gift reportedly made by the Imo State Government to the NBA Owerri Branch and questions subsequently raised by some members concerning its receipt, management and disbursement.
The disagreement intensified sufficiently for 183 members to requisition an Extraordinary General Meeting, bringing the dispute over the fund into the open and prompting correspondence between the branch and the NBA national leadership on October 13 and 14.
The national intervention effectively moves the matter beyond an internal disagreement at branch level, with senior NBA national officers now mandated to independently examine the financial records and hear the competing accounts surrounding the money.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
