Law graduate decries denial of justice

A law graduate, Kayode Bello, has decried denial of justice following the order he obtained at the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, permitting him to write his Law School examination in 2017.

The Nigerian Law School in 2017 expelled Bello for allegedly protesting against poor facilities at the school, as well as the role he played in a protest that rocked his alma mater, University of Ibadan, following a hike in school fees.

According to him, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President, Mr. Yakubu Maikyau (SAN), former Director General of the Nigerian Law School, the Secretary to the Council of Legal Education, and others, disobeyed the court order.

In a statement, Bello said: “Mr. Maikyau and others have a penchant for disobeying court orders based on my experience. This kind of disobedience is criminalised under Section 133 of the Nigerian Criminal Code Act, and a contempt proceeding I initiated against them through Forms 48 and 49 are being frustrated.”

He stated that it was untrue that he refused to show up for the Law School Examination on August 15, 2017, as claimed by the NBA President during the 2017 national conference and to the Legal Practitioners’ Disciplinary Committee (LPPC).

He recalled that Justice Quadri of the Federal High Court had advised that they should reconcile to enable him write his exams at the Nigerian Law School, but that was scuttled.

Bello explained that he has been making efforts to return to the Law School, but certain elements at the University of Ibadan and the Law School have been frustrating his effort since 2017.

When contacted on behalf of the NBA president, Publicity Secretary of the Association, Habeeb Lawal, said Maikyau did the case against the complainant on behalf of the Council of Legal Education (CE), hence, his grievance with him.

He described him as a rabble-rouser and urged that he should be ignored totally.